Posted 27th April 2023
Social Value UK are proud to announce that Alessandra Leach has achieved Level 1 Social Value Associate Status.
Alessandra is a Consultant in Healthcare Strategy & Planning at Lexica.
Lexica is a multi-disciplinary specialist consultancy. They help public sector organisations deliver better outcomes through the unparalleled capability, commitment, and collaboration of their team.
As a social enterprise, wholly owned by an NHS Trust, they are unique in terms of our business ethics, their insights into the working of a major public sector providers and their access to visionary expertise. With over 100 specialists, Lexica includes world-renowned experts who laid the foundations in the subject areas in which they operate. Their reputation for continuous improvement is reflected in their ability to attract, develop and retain the brightest entrants to the market and in the remarkable stability and resilience of their team. This ensures that their clients receive the benefits, not only of experienced practitioners, but also the creativity and innovative thinking of the generation which will shape the future.
Ahead of this announcement, we spoke to Alessandra about her experience with the assessment process…
Why have you decided to undertake the Social Value International Professional Pathway?
Working with clients in the NHS and wider Health sector, social impact is central to every project I work on. I hope that improving my understanding of impact management through the Social Value International Practitioner Pathway will allow me to better support clients in identifying, appraising and ultimately delivering value to their communities.
What did you learn and find useful from this assessment process?
Learning about SVI’s Principles has been incredibly helpful in framing the way I approach projects. The assessment process has given me a solid understanding of the theory that underpins impact management, which I hope to draw from and build upon as I continue my social value journey.
Now that you are a Level 1 Social Value Associate what do you plan to do next to develop your practice? How do you plan to use your practitioner skills?
I continue to look for opportunities to embed social value principles in my work. I am excited to connect and share ideas with other SVI practitioners. Lexica is currently reviewing its own approach to social value. I hope to use the knowledge I have gained through the assessment process to support the development and implementation of Lexica’s Social Value strategy.
Are there any other specific projects you are doing at the moment that are related to SROI and social value?
I am currently refining our methodology for identifying and appraising the social benefits associated with health infrastructure investments, with a view to achieving SVI report assurance. A recent project I worked on using this methodology to demonstrate the SROI of a new hospital has been developed into a workshop case study by SVI.
You have now joined a community of practice around the globe. What does this mean to you and why do you want to participate and contribute to the development of the methodology and overall social value movement?
This is an incredibly exciting time for social value and I look forward to learning from the knowledge and experience of the international practitioner community. I am interested to hear about the work that other practitioners are involved in and explore opportunities to work together in the interest of furthering the social value movement.
In particular, I am keen to engage in the conversation about social value within consultancy and how, as consultants, we can maximise the benefit we provide, both directly to our clients, and indirectly to the communities they serve.
“I am thrilled to have gained Level 1 Social Value Associate status with Social Value International. I look forward to contributing to the growing practitioner community and using my knowledge of impact management to support the social value goals of Lexica’s clients.” – Alessandra Leach