Using the Social Value Insight tool, the Social Value Hub at CHEME offers support, advice, training and consultancy to organisations to measure and communicate the positive changes they are creating for people and the environment. It is co-directed by Dr Ned Hartfiel and Professor Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, drawing on the expertise of a wider network of colleagues and an advisory board.
The Social Value Hub can provide organisations with a framework for measuring change in ways that are relevant to stakeholders. Using qualitative, quantitative and financial methods, we produce robust social value analysis that tells the story of how change is created for the people who experience an organisation’s activities and programmes.
By measuring and monetising an organisation’s social, environmental and economic outcomes, we can calculate a social value ratio comparing benefits and costs. A benefit-cost ratio of 3:1, for example, indicates that an investment of £1 creates £3 of social value.
We have worked with a range of organisations across the public and third sectors, including local authorities, the NHS and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
To find out how the Hub could benefit your organisation:
Measuring Social Value
The Public Services Act 2012 (more commonly referred to as the Social Value Act) requires "public authorities to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with public services contracts". In Wales, the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 calls on those responsible for public decision-making to place people and their wellbeing at the centre of what they do.
Our social value approach involves working with you and your stakeholders to understand what has changed and to value those changes. We follow a six-stage process of social return on investment (SROI) analysis which enables us to compare the benefits produced with the relative costs of creating them.
Stakeholders are those who experience change as a result of your activity or programme. Once identified, we consult stakeholders throughout the social value process to ensure that the social value ratio is based on information from those who experience your activity or programme.
The theory of change identifies the expected changes experienced by participants and illustrates the links between the inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impact.
Changes are the outcomes of your activity or programme. We measure these changes using appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods to provide evidence that significant change has taken place. Changes may be positive and negative, intended and unintended.
We then place a value on your main outcomes by applying wellbeing valuation using the HACT Social Value Insight tool, which monetises outcomes such as high confidence or mental wellbeing, which are often excluded from markets.
We also measure the costs of running your activity or programme. Categories often include staff costs, equipment costs, administration costs and overhead costs.
By comparing the average social value per participant with average cost per participant, we can calculate an SROI ratio.
Our Services
The Social Value Hub at CHEME can help you measure your social value and demonstrate your impact more clearly to others.
We will support you at every stage of the social value process, from design and planning to implementing and evaluating. Measuring the social value created by your activities and programmes can help strengthen your funding applications and can offer practical insights into how to maximise your organisation's social impact in the future.
Introduction to Social Value and Social Return on Investment
A practical half-day workshop which provides an introduction to social value, tailored to your organisation. This workshop enables your team to learn the practical knowledge and skills to start measuring social value in your organisation and calculating a SROI ratio.
SROI Analysis
We can help you measure your social impact by applying the six-stage process of SROI analysis. With extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative data analysis, we can help you to identify, measure, and value the important outcomes experienced by your stakeholders.
Reports and Publications
- SROI report for the Codi'r To Music in Schools Programme.
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- SROI report for Lifestyle Coaching.
- SROI report for Coed Lleol-Small Woods’ Woodland Wellbeing programmes (Actif Woods Wales) [in press]
- Kodchawan, D.; Hartfiel, N.; Gladman, J.; Harwood, R.; & Edwards, R.T. (2024). RCT-based Social Return on Investment (SROI) of a Home Exercise Program for People With Early Dementia Comparing In-Person and Blended Delivery Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing. Vol. 61.
- Skinner, A.; Hartfiel, N.; Lynch, M.; Jones, A.W.; Edwards, R.T. (2023) Social Return on Investment of Social Prescribing via a Diabetes Technician for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Progression. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 20, 6074.
- Makanjuola, A., Lynch, M., Hartfiel, N., Cuthbert, A., Edwards, R.T. (2023). Prevention of Poor Physical and Mental Health through the Green Social Prescribing Opening Doors to the Outdoors Programme: A Social Return on Investment Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 20, 6111.
- Hartfiel, N., Gladman, J., Harwood, R., & Tudor Edwards, R. (2022). Social Return on Investment of Home Exercise and Community Referral for People With Early Dementia. Gerontology & geriatric medicine, 8, 23337214221106839.
- Makanjuola, A., Lynch, M., Hartfiel, N., Cuthbert, A., Wheeler, H.T., Edwards, R.T. (2022). A Social Return on Investment Evaluation of the Pilot Social Prescribing Emotion Mind Dynamic Coaching Programme to Improve Mental Wellbeing and Self-Confidence. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19, 10658.
- Jones, C., Hartfiel, N., Brocklehurst, P., Lynch, M., Edwards, R. (2020). Social Return on Investment Analysis of the Health Precinct Community Hub for Chronic Conditions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, 5249;
- Jones, C., Windle, G. and Edwards, R.T. (2020). Dementia and Imagination: A Social Return on Investment Analysis Framework for Art Activities for People Living With Dementia, The Gerontologist,60(1), 112–123.