SNP MSP and Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham will appear at a major conference on the social value of businesses, it has been announced.
With public finances under increasing pressure and many charities at full stretch the time is right for businesses to step up and do more to contribute to the public good, according to the organisers of The Social Value Gathering.
The event will bring together business leaders, social enterprises and housing and environmental experts to take a fresh look at how companies can make a difference.
It will also see the launch of a tool to help firmsmeasure their value to society – whether that is through inclusion and equality, employment and training, or sustainable growth.
Participants include Josh Littlejohn, the founder and chief executive of Social Bite, a company built on the goal of improving society, firstly by providing homeless people with jobs and now through the Social Bite Village, ensuring they have homes as well.
The event will also hear from Naila Akram, Community Investment Manager at sponsor Balfour Beatty, which is looking at the impact the construction firm makes on local communities, not only through supporting employability and skills but increasingly trying to support small businesses and charities. “The area that we could do more in is wider economic growth, supporting SMEs and the 3rd sector as well as the environmental side of social value, such as habitats and biodiversity,” she said.
The first such event of its kind in Scotland, the Social Value Portal, which is supported by the Herald, aims to ensure social benefit becomes “business as usual” for Scottish firms.
Guy Battle, chief executive of Social Value Portal says advances have been made, with laws in England and Scotland which encourage government to factor in social value when planning public spending.
“With the public sector struggling with the financial burden they are facing businesses really need to step up to the plate,” he said. “Social value encourages businesses to get involved in delivering services in that space : whether it be community wellbeing, environmental benefit, community businesses or local spend. It encourages businesses to do more than just deliver the contract.”
The event at Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth on Friday September 21st will culminate in a social value marketplace where businesses and communities can come together to find matches between what companies can offer and what their communities need.
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