Salford Social Value Report (CLES)

The Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) has been commissioned by Salford Social Value Alliance to undertake in-depth case studies of five Salford organisations.

The findings are intended to inform understanding of the working practices and organisational cultures most likely the deliver social value, in turn informing the Alliance’s future strategic priorities.

The five organisations are:

  1. Social enterprise: SMaRT Garage
  2. Charity: Broughton Trust
  3. Private business: Carbon Creative
  4. Public service provider: Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue
  5. Community group or organisations: Lower Kersal Young People’s Group

What the report finds:

Through the research, the Alliance has identified the qualities that Social Value organisations display, whatever their sector and whether they call it Social Value or not.

  1. Values and ethos: Treating all individuals with respect, understanding and valuing them without judgement. Strong values and this clear ethos are captured throughout the organisation’s operations and their relationships with both their staff and beneficiaries.
  2. Delivery: Demonstrating a strong ability to recognise the people they work with as unique individuals rather than ‘clients’. The strong values and ethos therefore inform the approach to delivery.
  3. Partnerships: Building relationships and having regular contact with local organisations, both within and outside their sector and realm of expertise. An impressive level of partnership working and recognition of the importance of collaborative working.
  4. Internal operations and practice: Internal planning and review is shaped according to the strong values and ethos including a clear level of respect and acknowledgement of the importance of the views of all staff.

Read the full report

CLES conclude that it is a deep-rooted cultural impetus to ‘make a difference’ that fundamentally characterises the five organisations that feature in the final report.

This ingrained desire to ‘do good’ is apparent across all levels of the five organisations in their everyday practices and working ethos.

Thus it appears that it is not specific changes in practice or policy that are important to Salford as a Social Value City, but instead a social movement that encourages Salford citizens and organisations to connect with, reconnect with, or value their pre-existing drive to make a difference.

In order to move towards a ‘Social Value City’, where all individuals and organisations are making a positive social, economic and environmental contribution in the city, there is a role for the Salford Social Value Alliance in encouraging more organisations to develop the behaviours of the organisations that feature in the research. This is because these behaviours have been critical to achieving a positive impact on the people of Salford and their environment.

Read the full report