Social Value Statement: SAMPLE (Grounds Maintenance)
Prepared for: Sample Grounds Ltd (a fictional grounds maintenance contractor with 28 staff). Bid: a fictional 4-year grounds maintenance contract for a district council's parks, cemeteries and housing land, worth about £350,000 a year. Question (weighted 10%, 750 words max): "Describe the social value you will deliver through this contract, with measurable commitments relevant to the Council's priorities on local jobs, skills, the environment and communities. Explain how you will report."
How a real statement is made: we read the council's own priorities (its social value policy, climate and nature plans), then choose commitments the client can actually keep. Each one gets a number, a date and evidence.
Our commitments at a glance
| # | Commitment | Measure | By when | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Local jobs | At least 75% of contract staff live within the district; vacancies advertised locally first | From mobilisation | Anonymised postcode list, vacancy log |
| 2 | Apprenticeships | 2 horticulture or arboriculture apprentices on the contract | 1 in year 1, 1 in year 2 | Apprenticeship agreements |
| 3 | Skills | 6 operatives gain new certificates (e.g. PA1/PA6, chainsaw, first aid) | By end of year 2 | Certificates |
| 4 | Nature | 2 hectares of amenity grass moved to relaxed mowing or wildflower management, agreed with the Council | Year 1 | Site plans, photos |
| 5 | Less chemical use | Herbicide use cut by 30% against year 1 by using mechanical and thermal methods first | Year 3 | Application records |
| 6 | Cleaner kit | 60% of hand-held tools battery-powered | Year 2 | Asset register |
| 7 | Community | 50 volunteering hours a year with friends-of-parks groups and schools (e.g. planting days) | Each year | Volunteering log |
| 8 | Local spending | At least £20k a year with local nurseries and suppliers | Each year | Invoice summary |
1. Local jobs and apprenticeships
We will recruit locally for all new roles, advertising through the Council's employment service first. We will take on two apprentices over the contract, working towards a Level 2 horticulture or arboriculture qualification. Each apprentice gets paid study time and a named mentor.
2. Skills
Grounds work runs on certificates. We will fund 6 operatives to gain new ones, such as pesticide application (PA1/PA6), chainsaw and first aid. That makes the workforce safer, and gives staff qualifications they keep.
3. Nature and biodiversity
We will work with the Council's parks team to identify about 2 hectares of amenity grass that can move to relaxed mowing or wildflower management. We will keep paths and edges neat, so the change looks deliberate, not neglected. Hedge and tree work will avoid the bird nesting season. Invasive species will be reported and treated promptly.
4. Cutting chemicals and emissions
Mechanical, thermal and mulching methods come first. Herbicide becomes a targeted last resort, and we will report use per site every quarter. By year 2, 60% of hand-held tools will be battery-powered, cutting fuel use, noise and vibration exposure.
5. Communities
Our teams will give 50 hours a year to local friends-of-parks groups, community gardens and school planting days, planned with the Council.
6. Local suppliers
Plants, bark, compost and machinery servicing will be bought from local nurseries and suppliers where price and quality are comparable. The target is at least £20k a year, reported with supplier names.
How we will report
- Every quarter: a one-page report against each commitment, with evidence attached, sent alongside contract monitoring.
- Every year: a review with the Council, to agree next year's targets and raise them where we are ahead.
- If we fall behind: we will say so, explain why, and set a recovery date.
(About 650 words including the table. In a real statement, every number is agreed with the client first, and named partners are real organisations they work with.)