Congratulations Liam Ronan-Chlond – now a Level 1 Associate Practitioner!

Congratulations Liam Ronan-Chlond – now a Level 1 Associate Practitioner!

Posted 7th September 2022

Social Value UK are proud to announce that our member, Liam Ronan-Chlond, has achieved Level One Associate Practitioner status.

Liam is Head of Engagement at Socius. Socius is an impactful developer with a c.£1bn development pipeline across major UK towns and cities including Bristol, Brighton, Cambridge, Milton Keynes and London. Privately-owned and have a B Corp (pending) status, Socius partners with global investors to balance profit and purpose whilst delivering inspiring and sustainable mixed-use places.

Ahead of this announcement, we had a discussion about our Practitioner Pathway and Liam’s experience with the Level One assessment process:

Why have you decided to undertake the Social Value International Practitioner Pathway?

I am the Social Value lead for Socius, an impactful developer. We partner with investors and communities to balance profit and purpose whilst delivering inspiring and sustainable mixed-use places. As the lead decision-maker on Social Value at Socius, I tend to have a strategic overview of our approach but I wanted to get a better understanding of what happens ‘under the bonnet’. For me, this means getting to grips with the mechanics and practicalities of planning and delivering Social Value.

The Level 1 Associate Practitioner accreditation seemed to be the perfect way to achieve this next level of knowledge.

What did you learn and find useful from this assessment process?

As soon as I began the training for my accreditation, I realised how similar accounting for social value was to traditional financial accounting. The key difference is obviously accounting for more than just financial value, but the rigorous approach remains.

The Social Value International accounting principles also opened my eyes to managing both intended and unintended outcomes and reviewing external factors, such as displacement and attribution.

Finally, as Head of Engagement at Socius, I was pleased to see the heavy weight of importance placed upon the involvement and influence of stakeholders throughout the defined approach to Social Value.

Now that you are a Level 1 Associate Practitioner what do you plan to do next to develop your practice? How do you plan to use your practitioner skills? 

As a Level 1 Associate Practitioner, I look forward to putting the principles I have learned into practice!

Are there any specific projects or activities you are doing at the moment that are related to SROI/social value?

Socius have just submitted a planning application on behalf of senior living provider Amicala, for an Integrated Retirement Community in Weybridge, Surrey.

These plans for 205 homes providing extra care for older people will also generate almost £80m worth of social value, through local employment, apprenticeships, volunteering opportunities, freeing up local family homes and reducing impact on local health and social services.

This Social Value Action Plan and our wider proposals for an Integrated Retirement Communities included stakeholder involvement throughout and this will continue as we move into the delivery phase.

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?

I am proud to become part of an international movement to promote accounting for social value and contribute to improved wellbeing, tackling inequality and reducing environmental degradation.

“I’m delighted to have become a Level 1 Associate Practitioner with Social Value International and proud to become part of an international movement to promote accounting for social value. This will continue to help us play a key part in the movement towards changing the way the world accounts for value and contribute to improved wellbeing, tackling inequality and reducing environmental degradation.” – Liam Ronan-Chlond, Head of Engagement at Socius

For more information please contact Liam via [email protected]

Posted 7th September 2022