How our six Values support the creation
of benefits for people and our planet

How do the six Values support the creation of benefits for people and the planet?

At Value Match we focus on the creation of positive impacts for people and our planet via ‘social benefit’.

A social benefit is a positive difference that is made to our planet and people, as a result of someone taking Values-based action.

A social detriment would be a negative difference being made.

And we use these definitions as the basis for all that we do.

Why do you call the benefits that are created as ‘social benefits’?

We refer to the benefits created as ‘social benefit’ because they are created by people for the good of society as a whole. And by society, we include our planet and humankind’s companions on our planet: all the creatures of the natural world.

Defining social benefit in terms of the positive difference that it makes to people and our planet is essential to the concept of Value Matching. For as we seek to reinforce all other approaches, it is important that the definition that we use is capable of supporting all others, the diverse range of which are illustrated below:

Social Value: is the quantification of the relative importance that people place on the changes they experience in their lives.’

Social Value International – ‘What is Social Value?’

Community Benefits: Measures to improve the economic, social or environmental wellbeing in an area.  

Scottish Government: Procurement Reform Scotland Act 2014

Human Capital: ‘The knowledge, skills, competencies and attributes embodied in individuals that facilitate the creation of personal, social and economic well-being.’

OECD – The Well-being of Nations – The Role of Human and Social Capital

Social Capital: ‘The institutions, relationships, and norms that shape the quality and quantity of a society’s social interactions.’

The World Bank – Social Capital Website

Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’

UN – Sustainable Development Goals

Corporate Social Responsibility: ‘How much an organization contributes to sustainable development and its impacts on society and the environment.’

ISO26000 – Social Responsibility

These definitions reflect the perspectives and culture of those who use them. They are usually strongly focused on the types of outcomes that are sought to be achieved. However, all are striving to meet a common objective: the improvement of conditions to sustain life on earth.

View details of the different standards and approaches to social value and community benefit creation in our directory.