Arden & GEM has been awarded the Social Value Quality Mark Level 1 for its commitment to measuring, growing and embedding social value within its work.
The Social Value Quality Mark is an outward sign of commitment to being an ethical and socially conscientious organisation. The Level 1 audit and verification process recognises an organisation’s pledge to research, measure and report social value and its impact.
As part of the application process, Arden & GEM was required to state its definition of social value as well as detailing social value quality mark pledges across the following six key areas:
- Health and wellbeing
- Education and skills
- Employment and volunteering
- Economic
- Environmental
- Leadership.
For each area, indicators and leads have been identified and agreed to ensure that the organisation continues to deliver against its pledges over the next two years.
Arden & GEM’s senior lead for social value and Director of Integrated Service Development, Alison Tonge, said: “As part of the NHS family, we are committed to playing our part in achieving a fairer, better, greener health and care system through pioneering the aims and principles of social value. I’m delighted that our ambitions in this important area have been recognised by the Social Value Quality Mark accreditation and look forward to working with my colleagues to not only make progress against our own pledges but also to support others in delivering social value impact as part of a collaborative, joined up approach across the public sector”.
The accreditation is valid for one year and Arden & GEM is aiming to achieve the Social Value Quality Mark Level 2 at the end of this period. A cross-departmental, multidisciplinary ‘social value’ group’ has been established to turn the pledges into actions.
Anyone interested in learning more about social value, and the important role it plays within the public sector, is invited to join Arden & GEM’s webinar later this month. More details are available here.