The integration of social value in construction is evolving with Robbie Blackhurst spearheading efforts through Compliance Chain.
- Robbie Blackhurst, formerly of Kier, founded Black Capital Group and later Compliance Chain, focusing on standardising social value processes.
- The upcoming Procurement Act 2023 allows broader criteria, emphasizing community impact in public sector contracts.
- Compliance Chain’s tool offers contractors a competitive edge by showcasing community and environmental contributions.
- The platform aids both contractors and clients in tracking and evidencing social value, proving commercial benefits.
In the shifting landscape of construction, the emphasis on social value continues to grow as an integral factor in public sector procurement. Robbie Blackhurst, having spent a significant portion of his career with Kier, identified the fragmented approaches to social value management. His experiences led him to establish Black Capital Group in 2017, followed by Compliance Chain in 2020, to simplify and standardise these processes for the construction industry.
The introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 marks a pivotal change. From February, public sector bodies can consider a wider range of factors beyond just the cheapest bid when selecting contractors. This change prioritises offers that align with their community impact criteria, compelling contractors to showcase their dedication to social value.
Compliance Chain has developed a Social Value Management tool designed to offer a clear advantage in this new landscape. This innovative software enables project leaders to set and track meaningful goals, ensuring that contractors are not just competing on price but also on their social and environmental contributions. Blackhurst emphasises the competitive necessity of demonstrating such value, stating that just being inexpensive will not secure public sector contracts anymore.
The tool allows for real-time monitoring and provides a robust framework for both contractors and clients to manage and report their social value contributions. It offers a menu of 200 potential social value actions, such as hiring apprentices, each with a calculated community impact value. The platform’s user-friendly interface facilitates planning and creates auditable records of progress.
By integrating these detailed metrics, contractors can present comprehensive social value plans as part of their bid. This capability not only holds them accountable but also allows clients to track performance against promises made during the bidding process. Such accountability ensures that contractors meet their social commitments effectively rather than resorting to last-minute adjustments to fulfil targets.
Moreover, the system’s design allows for easy cross-referencing of past projects, giving contractors the ability to illustrate their previous achievements in generating social value. With the software having measured social value across £1.5 billion of projects in the previous year alone, the commercial benefits of adoption are undeniable, especially when the functionality surpasses other offerings in the market.
As the construction industry adapts to new procurement criteria, leveraging tools like Compliance Chain’s Social Value Management tool becomes essential for demonstrating commitment to community and environmental impact.
