Social Value and our suppliers

Southampton City Council sets a high priority on social value, going beyond the requirements of the Social Value Act and taking it into account across all spend over £10,000, in accordance with our Social Value and Green City Procurement Policy.

As part of the Southampton Pound, our aim is to use our spend and contracting arrangements with suppliers to deliver long-lasting and sustainable positive impacts and outcomes for Southampton’s communities and businesses.

What are our key objectives?

Objective 1

Source more goods, services and works locally when Best Value can be demonstrated and in so far as legal requirements permit.

Objective 2

Maximise the benefit to Southampton and its economy from the money generated and spent by the council and other Southampton based organisations and their supply chains.

Objective 3

Increase the social value related commitments within appropriate contracts and ensure they are delivered.

What are we looking for from our suppliers?

  • To provide tangible social and environmental benefits for Southampton
  • To meet or exceed Ethical Procurement and Green City Procurement Principles
  • Innovative, cost-effective supplier solutions which benefit the city, its residents and economy
  • Sourcing more goods, services and works locally
  • Ethical and sustainable sourcing through supply chains
  • Creating employment opportunities for local people
  • Using contracts to maximise social value benefits
  • Maximising tendering opportunities for local SMEs and VCSEs

See our current procurement information to tender for contracts.

How our suppliers are helping us achieve our objectives

To learn more about how our suppliers are helping us to achieve our objectives, see our case studies.

Easy guides for buyers and suppliers can be found below:

Document Type Size
Social Value and Green City Procurement Policypdf404.4 KB
Southampton Social Value Procurement Frameworkpdf378.3 KB
Social value - easy guide for SMEs and VCSEspdf1.1 MB
Social value - easy guide for buyerspdf1.1 MB
Social value - national TOMsxlsm441.9 KB