Social Value Management Certificate
What is the Social Value Management Certificate?
The Social Value Management Certificate (SVMC) is a multi-level award for organisations, departments or projects that want to strengthen the way they manage social value.
It provides a clear pathway for continuous improvement, helping organisations to:
- Manage risks – identify and respond to the risk of unintended or negative outcomes.
- Maximise impact – use evidence to make better decisions and increase social value.
- Improve practice – develop a more consistent and structured approach to managing social value.
- Build credibility – demonstrate to customers, commissioners, investors and other stakeholders your commitment to good social value management.
The SVMC has three levels, completed in sequence:
Level 1 – Commit → Level 2 – Embed → Level 3 – Lead
Level 1 – Commit: updated for October 2026
We are updating SVMC Level 1 – Commit to make it clearer, more practical and easier for organisations to apply.
The refreshed Level 1 retains the core principles of the existing qualification while strengthening the support available to organisations and putting greater emphasis on managing social value well, rather than simply collecting evidence for assessment.
What's Changing?
From October 2026, Level 1 – Commit will include:
- Clearer, more detailed guidance on what each criterion means and what is expected.
- Practical templates and examples to help organisations develop their approach and gather evidence.
- Clearer evidence requirements, including greater clarity about what good evidence looks like.
- A simpler, more logical learner journey that reflects how organisations develop their social value approach in practice.
- Greater focus on continuous improvement, rather than simply completing an assessment.
- Stronger alignment with Levels 2 – Embed and 3 – Lead, providing a clearer pathway for continued development.
- A framework that can be applied by organisations of different sizes, sectors and levels of social value maturity.
The updated framework will help organisations strengthen leadership and governance, organisational capability, stakeholder engagement, outcomes and impact measurement, risk management, performance review and transparent reporting.
The updated Level 1 – Commit will be available from October 2026. For an information pack, please fill in the form.
Who is it for?
The SVMC is suitable for organisations across the private, public and voluntary sectors.
Level 1 – Commit can support organisations that are beginning to develop a structured approach to social value, as well as those that already have established activity but want to improve consistency, governance and evidence across their organisation.
You do not need a dedicated social value team to take part.
How to apply
All organisations begin with Level 1 – Commit before progressing to Levels 2 and 3.
To apply:
- Your organisation must hold a current ISV Organisational Membership.
- Read the Social Value Management Certificate Guidance Document.
- Read and sign the Terms & Conditions.
- Complete the relevant Criteria and Evidence Form.
The updated Level 1 – Commit documentation will be available from October 2026. If you would like to receive an SVMC Level 1 – Commit pack with additional information, please complete this form.
For questions about the SVMC or preparing for Level 1, please contact the ISV team at info@isv.org.uk.
Member Fees
Fees for each level of the application are as follows:
| Organisation size | Fee |
|---|---|
| Small (Up to 50 staff members) | £600 +VAT |
| Medium (51-250 staff members) | £900 +VAT |
| Large (250+ staff members) | £1500 +VAT |
Non-Member Fees
| Organisation size | Fee |
|---|---|
| Small (Up to 50 staff members) | £800 +VAT |
| Medium (51-250 staff members) | £1,200 +VAT |
| Large (250+ staff members) | £2000 +VAT |