Building more than buildings: our focus on Social Value this October

The value created by construction should extend far beyond the completed building.

For BAQUS, social value is about considering the wider impact of the work we do, on the people who use the places we help create, the communities surrounding them, our colleagues and the wider environment.

And for organisations working in the public sector, social value is becoming an increasingly important part of procurement.

From January 2027, the Government’s new PPN 026 Social Value Model will apply to qualifying central government procurements worth £1m or more. The revised model places a greater focus on creating good jobs, fair working conditions, developing skills and providing opportunities for people within local communities.

For project teams and suppliers, this reinforces the importance of considering social value from the outset: building meaningful, achievable outcomes into procurement and project delivery rather than treating them as an addition later in the process.

Across our own work, this thinking can take many forms: engaging positively with local communities, supporting employment and skills, encouraging more sustainable design and construction decisions, reducing environmental impact and helping clients consider long-term value alongside immediate project priorities.

At BAQUS, we remain committed to embedding social value into the way we work, helping to create positive, lasting outcomes for our clients, communities and the wider built environment.