With the arrival of new public procurement rules on February 24, 2025, organisations are presented with an unprecedented opportunity. By offering unrestricted access to once-exclusive social valuation data and methodologies, MeasureUp aims to revolutionise the field.
Crafted through a partnership between Impact Reporting, State of Life, and PRD, this innovative tool addresses longstanding challenges in assessing social value. With transparency as its cornerstone, MeasureUp provides a thoroughly researched and curated framework that promises to enhance the evaluation of social impacts.
A Revolutionary Step Towards Transparency
The new procurement rules mark a significant shift in how organisations report and measure social value. Historically, valuable data and resources have been hidden behind expensive paywalls, but MeasureUp breaks this mould by offering free access to social valuation frameworks. This move is a response to the frustration experienced by many professionals in the field, who seek consistent and transparent reporting.
Matt Haworth, co-founder of Impact Reporting, emphasises the importance of this initiative, stating, “MeasureUp is our answer to tackle this head-on.” By unveiling these resources, the aim is to move from merely counting outputs to genuinely measuring the outcomes of various initiatives.
Highlighting Unconventional Activities
MeasureUp showcases the value of activities that may not traditionally be quantified but can be transformative for communities. Examples include participation in religious activities, youth engagement, and access to green spaces. These activities, though often overlooked, carry significant social value.
For instance, data on the platform reveals that good mental health is twice as important as physical health, while volunteering offers half the wellbeing benefits of regular physical activity. These insights can guide organisations in recognising and encouraging impactful, though perhaps less tangible, activities.
Protecting Against Purpose-Washing
MeasureUp helps prevent ‘purpose-washing’, where organisations make unsubstantiated claims about their social impact. By offering a rigorously researched framework, it ensures that social value claims are backed by evidence, not estimations.
The tool allows users to compare different types of social initiatives effectively. This capacity to compare ‘apples and oranges’ brings clarity and credibility to social value assessments.
With MeasureUp, organisations can now measure the true impact of their investments in a variety of social value activities.
A Work in Progress
Catherine Manning, Head of Impact Practice at Impact Reporting, acknowledges that social value valuation is still an evolving practice. She notes, “We are immensely proud of what we have so far meticulously gathered and made publicly available, but this is just the beginning.”
The ‘live’ status of MeasureUp invites ongoing feedback and contributions from the social value community. This dynamic approach ensures that the platform continues to evolve and improve.
This iterative development is crucial for maintaining relevance and accuracy in the ever-changing field of social impact assessment.
Alignment with Established Standards
MeasureUp adheres to established guidelines and frameworks, ensuring its methodologies are credible and widely accepted. The platform aligns with the WELLBY methodology, ONS 10 dimensions of wellbeing, the UK government Green Book guidance, Sustainable Development Goals, and the Central Government Social Value Model.
These alignments guarantee that the framework is robust and can be reliably used by organisations to measure their social value.
Adherence to these standards further enhances the tool’s credibility and utility in the field of social impact practice.
Encouraging Comprehensive Social Value Assessment
MeasureUp encourages organisations to assess a broad spectrum of social value activities, not just the more obvious ones.
By recognising the impact of varied activities, organisations can present a fuller picture of their social contributions.
This comprehensive approach ensures that all positive community impacts are acknowledged and measured.
Final Thoughts
As the field of social value assessment continues to grow and evolve, tools like MeasureUp are instrumental in driving forward transparency and effectiveness. By breaking down barriers to access and aligning with established standards, MeasureUp is setting a new benchmark in the industry.
The imminent new procurement rules present a prime opportunity for organisations to re-evaluate and enhance their social value practices. MeasureUp provides the tools needed to measure true social impact effectively and transparently.
By offering a meticulously researched framework for free, MeasureUp empowers organisations to adopt more comprehensive and credible social value assessments. This initiative promises to facilitate a more transparent and impactful approach to social value measurement. Ultimately, it sets the stage for a significant advancement in how social value is understood and reported.