Applying SROI and social value thinking to enhance impact – from not-for-profits to mining

Explore how Courtney Shearer, a seasoned financial analyst and Certified Public Accountant, leverages Social Value Canada’s training into his various leadership roles. In this interview you will find:

• His motivations for taking the SROI course and its practical implications for his consultancy firm, Larkspur Consulting
• How Social Value thinking is at the core of Common Good Mining, a BC Benefit Corp reshaping traditional mining models in a way that maximizes returns for everyone – communities, shareholders, and the environment.

Click Here for Courtney’s Full Interview

 

How to help non-profits unleash their impact

Sophia Robinson is a Chartered Professional Accountant and consultant with extensive experience in the for-profit, social enterprise and charity sectors. She is one of Canada’s few Level 3 Advanced Social Value Practitioners and she completed an assured SROI (Social Return on Investment) report for Artists for Mental Health in Vancouver, BC.

Sophia is currently working as a Director of Finance and Strategy for McLaren Housing Society of British Columbia where she supports organizations to communicate and enhance their social impact. Its mission is to provide safe, secure and affordable housing and support services for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS to increase the opportunity for improved health, wellness, independent living and sense of community.

Click Here for Sophia’s Full Interview

Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) Community Benefits Summit – October 28 @ Toronto City Hall

Last month, at the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Community Benefits Summit hosted by the Toronto Community Benefits Network, Social Value Canada participated with a wide array of people from various industries and sectors across the province got together at Toronto City Hall to discuss and learn about the powerful impact of Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs).

Click below to read our reflections from the insights we’ve gathered from the various speakers, signaling a growing momentum for CBAs in Canada.

Click Here to Read More

Imagine the impact potential of procurement to achieve social and environmental outcomes, alongside the goal of quality service delivery. Unfortunately, there is a lack of collaboration and policy coherence between levels of government in the pursuit of a sustainable and inclusive economy, resulting in untapped potential for public spending to contribute to Canada’s sustainability policy goals and to generate social value for taxpayers.

The Government of Canada purchases about $22 billions of goods and services each year, representing 13% of total public spending in Canada. The other 87% is spent by provincial, territorial and municipal governments, totaling upwards of $169 bn each year.

It’s time to streamline all government procurement towards impact-oriented purchasing.

It’s time for for Social Value Procurement.

Read our submission for the federal pre-budget consultation for the 2024 Budget, stressing the need for Social Value thinking in all public procurement!

Sources: 

Improving federal procurement through Better Buying (Gov of Canada, 2023)

Moving to Mandatory (Hamilton et al., 2021)

 

Global capital flows are increasing climate change and inequality. But they don’t have to. The Social Value International movement (includes us at Social Value Canada) believes that a small change to international accounting standards would create a more sustainable world.

We all can help to make this possible — by taking this 60 Seconds to Change the World survey!

 

 

Social Value News from the World

• The Charity Retail Association’s SROI report was celebrated and discussed at the UK Parliament in late October. ‘The Value of Giving Back – The Social Return of Charity Shops’ report is the first of its kind to be created for the charity retail sector to investigate the value charity shops have to society beyond the hundreds of millions of pounds they raise for their parent charities each year.

• On October 31st, Social Value UK launched The Social Value Manifesto to call for change in approach to productivity, procurement and wellbeing and to put social value at the heart of the next government’s policies.

• The Social Value of Explorer Club and Young Rangers’, the final evaluation report for The North York Moors National Park Authority’s (NYMNPA) was published in October.

• The High Returns of Educated, Empowered Girls’, an SROI evaluation of The Time + Tide Foundation’s Girls Clubs in Mfuwe, Zambia was assured and published in October.

• Women Farmers’ Entrepreneurial Loan SROI Analysis’ report was assured and published in October.

• On October 25th, Social Value India, one of 29 Social Value affiliate networks, was relaunched at the India CSR Summit.

• 🌍SVI published Glossary 2.0, which has been thoroughly updated from the original 2012 version. It comprises a short ‘Glossary of Key Terms’ written for anyone starting to engage with social value and SVI’s work, as well as a more comprehensive ‘Technical Glossary’ for Social Value, SROI and IMM practitioners.

SROI Journey Series:

Constellation Contact Group & Inn From The Cold

Curious about how SROI measures lived experiences? 

Dive into the SROI conducted by Constellation Consulting Group, a Social Value Canada member and accredited SROI practitioner, focusing on the impact and the social value created from Inn from the Cold’s housing programs.

Inn from the Cold is a non-profit organization based in New Market (Ontario) helping vulnerable families find housing stability in times of crisis for over 25 years. They offer three types of programming:

1. Prevention and Diversion – Wraparound supports to help families stay in their existing homes when faced with potential eviction, or attain other available permanent housing as soon as possible;
2.  Shelter;
3. Supportive and Affordable Housing.

With over half the families involved with Inn from the Cold identifying as Indigenous, the Inn also offers an Indigenous Engagement Program for families.

For an in-depth look into how Constellation Consulting Group applied SROI analysis and Social Value Principles to assess Inn from the Cold’s impact, please follow the button below for the full report: