In a recent declaration by Lancashire city council, they have opened the floodgates for small businesses in the region. Allowing them the opportunity to bid for contracts to supply food to the committee and its schools. On one condition.
Bidders will have to demonstrate their “social value”. This isn’t just some thrown-together buzzword to scare away the competition. If your business already has a practice, you’re safe. For those scratching their heads in confusion. You’ll need to demonstrate healthy eating in schools and how you would place employment opportunities for those in the surrounding area.
One important thing to take away from this, if you don’t have a customer social responsibility mindset. Now is the time to start. With this pilot, there could be growing opportunities around the country for your business to win public service contracts, strengthening your company for the better!
Here’s a 1-2-3-4 on how to increase that social value score.
1. Make it reasonable
Being a small business doesn’t mean you can’t compete with larger markets. There are nearly 5 million SMEs in the UK, employing approximately 60% of the total workforce. Even so, there is no point in stretching yourself too far. You can start by brainstorming what you can do for the community or even something simple like reducing the waste accumulated in day-to-day operations.
2. Set Goals
When beginning to set your own goals, make it achievable within your organisation. Allocate some work hours in support of this. You’re not the only one out there looking to make a change. Sites like Business in the community connect local businesses to those in the area, have a browse to see if there are any nearby initiatives you can join. Anything you do, measure its impact to see what tangible progress you’ve made.
3. Recognition
You’ve heard the phrase before “doing good is its own reward”, yet you should think about the other far-reaching benefits. For example, Starbucks set up a program called the “Starbucks foundation” which gives grants to nonprofit organisations. Helping others can be part of your companies story. If what your support is making a difference, let others know. Not only does this have a knock-on effect on the business, but, this may also help give others the nudge to do the same.
4. Practical Applications
You’ve read the how, why and what. While you may not be able to do all of them. It should give a heads up on the possibilities. Here are some ideas you can put into practice:
- Donate to a food bank
- Offer your business service to a local event
- Start a mentorship program at the nearby school/college
- Become a proud supporter of a nearby charity
- Host a community event
Now, just what do we know about all this and how it pertains to small businesses?
Direct365 – Provider to Small Businesses
We are a small business lover and supporter. Our aim is to be the UK’s number one for small business services and products. Since the beginning, we’ve reached out and documented how our work has affected schools (see our blog St. Augustine’s Pupils Create an Important Message) salons and other small businesses. Our case study Providing Expert Waste Management for The Ink Artist Tattoo Studio is great example of our passion for helping SMEs.
Our work covers all aspects a business needs, from the health and safety of staff and employees to providing answers to the latest issues like GDPR.
Good luck on your way to social responsibility, and while you’re at it.
See what we can do for you today.
