What Industry Said: Shaping the Future of Defence Social Value

In October, e50K brought together policy advisers, defence primes and SMEs to talk honestly about where the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) is heading and where social value fits in.

The conversation was refreshingly open. Everyone in the (virtual) room wanted the same thing: for social value to be real, practical and meaningful, not another policy that lives on paper.

If you missed the session, here is the recording.

Here’s what industry said.

1. SMEs must be seen as policy partners, not policy recipients.

SMEs don’t want to just deliver social value, they want to help shape it.
 They bring local knowledge, trusted relationships, and a clear sense of what works in the communities where Defence operates. Many are already delivering social value as part of their everyday business.

Next step: Create a clear route for SMEs and mid-tier suppliers to feed into policy design, pilots and feedback loops.

2. One size does not fit all. Social value must be regionally and contractually relevant.

A single, blanket approach risks missing the point. Social value in Defence has to reflect the places and people it touches. It needs to connect to local economic priorities, the supply chain landscape and the unique challenges of each region.

Next step: Encourage MOD commercial teams to build in flexibility and regional variation. Evaluation frameworks should allow social value to be shaped around local realities, not forced into a template.

3. Mandate the what, but give industry freedom on the how.

Everyone agrees: industry wants clear direction, not prescriptive checklists. MOD should set the outcomes, linked to the goals of the Defence Industrial Strategy and the Social Value Model to then give suppliers freedom to innovate in how they deliver.

Next step: Frame guidance around outcomes. Create a space where good ideas and scalable approaches can thrive, rather than pushing box-ticking compliance.

4. Accountability and delivery matter more than promises.

The room was honest about a difficult truth, there’s too much promise, not enough proof. Some bidders over-claim social value because delivery isn’t tracked or enforced. Without evidence, credibility falls away.

Next step: Make monitoring and reporting part of every contract. Measure what’s actually achieved, not just what was pledged.

5. Social value should strengthen resilience, not add bureaucracy.

For many SMEs, social value feels like another layer of admin. That’s not what it should be. Done right, it’s a way to build stronger businesses, skilled workforces and resilient supply chains, the very things Defence needs for long-term capability.

Next step: Embed social value as business as usual, a way of working that underpins readiness, skills continuity and community confidence.

What Happens Next

This conversation was only the start. The message from industry was clear:

• Keep social value simple, measurable and relevant.

• Treat SMEs as equal partners.

• Focus on delivery, not paperwork.

At e50K, we’ll keep bridging that gap between policy and practice, bringing together the people who can turn national ambition into local reality.

Because Defence will only meet its social value goals when the people who live and work around it can see and feel the difference.

How can e50K help you?

Making social value real means moving beyond policy and promises, into practical action that communities and supply chains can see and feel. That’s where e50K come in.

We help organisations and suppliers:

• Turn strategy into measurable, local impact.

• Shape bids and proposals that highlight real social value.

• Build capability across teams in delivery, measurement, and innovation.

• Track outcomes, not just outputs, so promises become proof.

• Generate scalable ideas that give industry freedom on the “how” while achieving the “what.”

From planning to delivery, e50K bridges the gap between national ambition and local reality, helping everyone make social value simple, meaningful, and achievable.