Good Deeds are Good Business

We always used to think of neighbourhoods and localities as customer communities – you shop at your local greengrocer, butcher, hardware store and maybe go into town to buy clothes, furniture etc.  Now you have to fight for your place in the local market, competing with the internet giants and out-of-town retail parks. Customer communities are virtual and often created using complex tech solutions, empowering customers with the right to review their products and providing a tailored and personal buying experience as well as a rock bottom price.

So how can you find your place in this market?

Leicester Ageing Together know that one thing hasn’t changed: good deeds make for good business. Trust remains as important as ever when you’re spending your hard-earned cash and your business’s values make a difference.

Local charities and community organisations are struggling more than ever to fund their good deeds. So how can you help them with minimal investment, raising your organisation's profile along the way?

The Public Services (Social Value) Act came into force on 31 January 2013. Leicester Ageing Together is currently running a pilot, in conjunction with the City Council, using the Social Value received from City Council contracts. Hear the how’s, why’s and wherefores and how you can use Social Responsibility and your Social Value offer to grow your business.

The event is aimed at businesses looking to improve their profile through supporting local communities. This model aims to provide a national model of best practice.

Find out how Social Value is used in local government commissioning and contracting and by the individuals and communities receiving this support. Consider how you could use this to raise your own business profile and to advance opportunities to support cross sector working.

Agenda:

8.30 Introducing Social Value: Cathy Carter, Rebecca Hayward, Leicester City Council

8.50 Community use of Social Value: Ruth Rigby, Leicester Ageing Together

9.20 Networking break

9.50 Facilitated discussion:

What does a good Social Value offer look like?

- To commissioners

- To communities

- To businesses

10.15 Conclusions and networking: Ruth Rigby, Leicester Ageing Together

10.30 Close

Confirmed Speakers:

Ruth Rigby, Programme Lead, Leicester Ageing Together (Vista) runs a partnership of voluntary sector organisations promoting community development

Rebecca Hayward and Cathy Carter, Leicester City Council responsible for commissioning Adult Social Care.