In this episode, Sarah sits down with Kathy Walker, Co-Founder and CEO of StartUp Sherpas, an edtech company delivering remote work experience and career readiness programmes through their own digital platform.

Kathy shares how StartUp Sherpas is helping to bridge the gap between the skills young people learn in school and the skills employers need in the modern workplace. She explains why the traditional education system struggles to keep pace with the rapid changes in the world of work, and how Start Up Sherpas uses innovation and entrepreneurship as vehicles to prepare young people for future careers.

Sarah and Kathy discuss the importance of scalability in education, the power of technology to reach more learners, and how nurturing entrepreneurial thinking can open up new pathways for young people across all industries.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Dr Richard Milburn, Visiting Lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London and UK representative for the Pole Pole Foundation, a gorilla conservation charity in Eastern Congo.

Richard shares how he applies behavioural science and creative problem-solving to tackle complex challenges in conservation, peacebuilding and social value. He explains why he sees conservation as a social issue as much as an environmental one, highlighting projects such as tackling malnutrition in Congo through spirulina to reduce reliance on poaching.

Sarah and Richard discuss how the same behavioural insights can be used to rethink social value in the UK, from replacing CV-based recruitment with challenge-based tasks, to creating back-to-work bonds and linking recycling levies to homelessness initiatives. They also explore his work with Tunza Games and how gamification can inspire engagement and fund real-world conservation.

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We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

In this episode, Sarah speaks to Angela Halliday, Director of Social Impact at Sodexo, who plays a key role in guiding Sodexo’s approach to social value. 

Rather than delivering social impact directly, Angela acts as an internal consultant - educating, enabling, and empowering Sodexo’s workforce to drive change. 

Listen in to find out about why embedding social value into business operations is more effective than standalone projects, how Sodexo measures social impact beyond numbers and the commercial benefits of social impact, from employee retention to brand reputation. 

Angela gives some real insight into how companies can create inclusive hiring practices to tap into underutilised talent pools, using Sodexo's impressive record in their success in hiring ex-prisoners as an example.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

In this episode of Let's Talk Social Value, Sarah interviews Angela Benson and Sarah Hinchliffe from the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP). Sarah Hinchliffe, founder and Chair of the APMP UK Social Value Working Group, and Angela Benson, a board member and global head of bid management, share their insights into how bid professionals are shaping the future of social value in procurement.

Listen in to hear their take on what buyers are really looking for, how the public and private sectors are evolving, and why a bolted-on approach to social value just doesn’t cut it anymore. Whether you're writing your first social value response or refining a mature strategy, this episode offers real-world tactics, honest reflections, and plenty of professional wisdom.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

In this episode of Let's Talk Social Value, Sarah interviews Catherine Manning, Head of Impact Practice at Impact Reporting and the Programme Director and driving force behind the social valuation tool, MeasureUp. They explore how social value measurement is evolving to focus on real impact rather than just compliance; the opportunities this provides for meaningful decision-making, the role of technology in enhancing measurement practices, and how smaller organisations can effectively start their social value journey. Listen in to also hear their discussion on emerging trends in transparent valuation practices, the challenges faced by resource-limited organisations, and Catherine Manning’s expert advice for newcomers to the field.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

In this episode of Let's Talk Social Value, Sarah interviews Lindsay Maguire, Deputy Director for Procurement Reform at the Cabinet Office. 

They discuss how the new Procurement Act is reshaping government contracts; the opportunities that provides to prioritise social value, the flexibility of new procurement legislation, and how aligning procurement can help achieve broader social goals. 

Listen in to also hear their discussion on the publication of key performance indicators and the challenges of legislating on social value.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Holly Onstenk, Vice Chair of the Young Professionals in Social Value Network to hear about how the YPSV started, and has now evolved into a community with 500 members working social value. 

Sarah and Holly discuss the challenges of breaking into the social value industry, addressing the lack of training, qualifications and mentorship opportunities. They explore the role young professionals play in driving organisational change, the importance of collaboration, and the value of fostering an open space for learning.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

In this episode, Sarah talks to Andrew O'Brien & Hana Kapetanovic from Demos, one of the UK’s leading think tanks, to explore their ground breaking report, Taming the Wild West: How Technology Can Charter a New Frontier for Social Value.

In this  interview, Andrew and Hana share their insights about the evolving role of technology in shaping the social value landscape, challenges in creating a consistent and transparent framework for social value measurement, and key recommendations for policymakers, businesses, and public sector suppliers to drive impactful change.

This conversation is packed with insights for anyone navigating the intersection of technology, policy, and social impact.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

In this latest episode, Sarah had the pleasure of hosting Isabelle Parasram, CEO of The Institute for Social Value. 

Isabelle speaks about the launch of The Institute for Social Value (previously Social Value UK) and its aims moving forward - supporting companies to tackle social value washing will be one of the areas of focus for its work.

Isabelle and Sarah also discuss the future of social value under the Labour Government.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].

We've recently been lucky enough to have a conversation with Lindsay Maguire, Deputy Director for Procurement Reform Implementation at the Cabinet Office, and can give you a sneak peak of next month's podcast episode right here!

Lindsay reminded us that the Cabinet Office currently have a short stakeholder survey open, which will help inform development of the new NPPS, designed to prompt ideas and insights from stakeholders and experts on how best to shape the NPPS to support a new, mission-driven approach to public procurement through increased value for money, social value, innovation and collaboration.

The survey is open now and will close on Monday, 4 November 2024 at midday, so this is your chance to help shape this crucial policy!

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at [email protected].