Social value solutions for UK Tenders

UK public procurement has changed. Social value now accounts for

10% or more of the evaluation score

, and the bar for what counts as a credible environmental commitment has risen significantly.

For many businesses, the challenge is not intent. It is capacity. Most do not have an in-house sustainability team, and few have time to build a credible environmental programme from scratch while also preparing a competitive bid.

This is exactly where Earthly can help.

Earthly helps suppliers deliver a fully structured environmental commitment aligned to

Outcome 6

of the UK government’s social value model. 

Outcome 6 is the environmental outcome within the model and is titled “protect and improve the environment.” It covers commitments that deliver additional environmental benefits through the performance of a contract, including action that supports progress towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

The current government guidance is clear that social value commitments should be relevant, proportionate and capable of being evaluated and managed during the life of the contract.

Rather than leaving bidders to create vague promises or untested pledges, Earthly provides a measurable, contract-ready solution that can be inserted directly into a tender response. If the bid is successful, we then deliver the commitment and provide the evidence needed for contract management.

This means suppliers can offer credible environmental social value without building a sustainability function internally or hiring consultants to design a one-off programme.

1. Share your tender details

Contract value, duration and sector.

2. We scale a proportionate environmental commitment

Aligned to Outcome 6 and suitable for the size and scope of the contract.

3. Receive tender-ready wording and KPIs

Clear language, measurable targets and reporting structure.

4. If you win, we deliver and report

Simple. Compliant. Measurable.

A strong social value response needs to show clear public benefit. Earthly supports this through verified UK nature-based solutions that deliver measurable outcomes such as:

Each environmental commitment included in a social value response is designed to be specific, quantified, time-bound and additional to core contract delivery. That is exactly the kind of evidence evaluators are instructed to assess.

Environmental responses often lose marks because they are too generic, lack quantified targets, or fail to explain how delivery will be monitored. In other cases, the promise sounds positive, but the delivery risk is too high.

Earthly structures and environmental commitments so they are evaluation-ready and defensible. Suppliers receive:

To help reduce risk, both at the bid stage and post-award.

Earthly is a high-integrity environmental delivery partner specialising in verified UK

nature-based solutions

that translate environmental ambition into measurable, contract-ready social value. We design and deliver biodiversity projects that generate impact across three connected pillars: carbon reduction, biodiversity recovery and social benefit.

Our portfolio includes woodland creation, habitat and peatland restoration, and long-term ecosystem recovery, all underpinned by

Keystone 3.0

, our scientific methodology for onboarding and assessing projects. We prioritise transparent, quantified impact measurement, real-world delivery within defined timelines, and structured reporting aligned to social value model expectations.

We deliver and evidence the environmental social value promised in your bid.

The UK government spends over £300 billion annually on public contracts. To ensure that spending delivers broader public benefit, not just the contracted service, it introduced

Procurement Policy Note 06/20 (PPN 06/20)

in September 2020, which became mandatory for all new central government procurements from January 2021.

PPN 06/20 requires public sector buyers to explicitly evaluate social value as part of the tender process, with a minimum weighting of 10% of the total evaluation score. In February 2025, this was updated by

PPN 002

, which strengthened requirements further under the Procurement Act 2023, with mandatory application from October 2025.

The policy intent is clear: when public money is spent, it should improve communities, support employment and protect the environment.

This matters especially in the UK because nature recovery is closely tied to climate resilience, flooding, land use and long-term economic stability. The

State of Nature 2023 report

describes the UK as one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth, while

Defra’s habitat creation and restoration planning

highlights that restoring habitats can support multiple outcomes, including improving resilience and reducing flood risk.

Environmental social value should not be vague, overcomplicated or difficult to deliver. It should be practical, measurable and contract-ready.

With Earthly, suppliers can stay compliant, strengthen tender responses and deliver real environmental impact through verified UK nature restoration projects. For businesses bidding into public sector contracts, that means a clearer path to offering measurable environmental value without building internal sustainability infrastructure from scratch.

Get in touch

today to get started.

What is Outcome 6 in the social value model?

Outcome 6 focuses on environmental benefits delivered in the performance of the contract, including actions that support progress towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. It is the most relevant outcome for suppliers using habitat restoration or other environmental initiatives in a bid response.

What does contract-linked mean in a social value tender response?

A contract-linked commitment is one that is relevant and proportionate to the subject matter and scale of the contract. It cannot be a generic CSR statement disconnected from delivery. Government guidance makes clear that commitments should be capable of being evaluated and monitored during contract management.

What makes a strong environmental social value commitment?

A strong commitment is specific, measurable, time-bound and additional to the supplier’s core contractual obligations. It should also include a clear delivery plan and reporting approach so the contracting authority can track whether it has been achieved.

Why is biodiversity relevant to UK tenders?

Biodiversity is increasingly relevant because habitat loss and species decline are linked to climate resilience, flood risk, soil health and community wellbeing. UK evidence and policy documents increasingly connect habitat restoration with broader public value outcomes, making biodiversity a credible area for environmental social value commitments.

What is the difference between PPN 002 and PPN 006?

PPN 002

sets out how social value should be taken into account in the award of contracts and includes the updated social value model.

PPN 006

is separate and deals with carbon reduction plans in the procurement of major government contracts. They are related, but they are not the same policy note.

Does Earthly handle reporting after the contract is awarded? 

Yes. Earthly provides structured annual impact reporting aligned to social value model monitoring requirements throughout the contract. This means suppliers meet post-award obligations without building an internal sustainability function.