Coordinators
- Suhair Alkilani, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
- Ani Raiden, Nottingham Trent University, UK
- Martin Loosemore, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Objectives
TG127 will advance global social value research and practice in the international construction industry and built environment, driving meaningful, measurable, and lasting social impact. By fostering equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development, the TG will explore innovative procurement models, policy frameworks, and industry best practices that maximize social value creation, empowering marginalized communities, and transforming infrastructure delivery into a catalyst for positive societal change. TG127 will provide an international platform for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and industry professionals to collaborate and develop innovative solutions to enhance the social impact of the international construction Industry and built environment. Specifically, it will:
- Advance empirical research on social value in the built environment as a mechanism to generate positive social change and help the meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Facilitate knowledge exchange on policy frameworks, governance structures, and best practices for embedding social value into public, private and third sector practices, norms, institutions and projects.
- Examine global trends in social value legislation and implementation, identifying enablers and barriers.
- Develop practical tools for assessing, measuring and evaluating social value creation in building and construction project delivery.
- Engage with industry, government, the third sector and academia to foster a collaborative approach to social value creation.
- Support networking and capacity-building initiatives and professional development for emerging researchers and practitioners in the emerging field of social value.
Scope and Definitions
There is a growing number of academic publications in this area and due to the rapid growth in social procurement laws and regulations in many countries, there is rapidly growing interest in this emerging and largely undefined and unresearched area of professional practice.
By social value we mean:
The net difference that the built environment industry makes to the lives of the people affected by its activities. This includes people who work in the industry and its supply chains, who live and work in the products it produces and in the communities in which it builds.
Every organisation (public and private and third sector) which operates in the built environment creates and destroys social value in numerous ways because of their normal activities (by employing people for example).
While there is an accumulating body of research on social value it is under-theorised.
The aim of the this newly proposed CIB Task Group will be to address this gap in theory and enhance knowledge and practice in this space by bringing together like-minded academics and professions from the private, public and third sectors who are working in this newly emerging space.
The CIB TG127’s work will by necessity be multidisciplinary and cover many subjects including, but not limited to:
- Community involvement and development – social value created by community engagement, supporting local charities and causes, being a good neighbour, and providing employment and business opportunities for community members and local businesses through local purchasing and employment and training activities, etc.
- Design – social value created through urban design, landscape design, and architecture, covering subjects such as placemaking, place shaping, participatory and sustainable design, and Indigenous design.
- Planning – social value created in the up-front planning of projects. This includes urban planning, business case development and project planning.
- Environmental management practices – social value created from pollution prevention, emissions reduction, use of sustainable renewable resources, life-cycle management, using environmentally sound technologies and practices, and sustainable procurement, waste management, etc.
- Human rights – social value created through equal opportunities and managing diversity and inclusion policies and practices, respecting individuals’ rights to freedom of association, opinion and expression, and respecting economic, social and cultural rights, etc.
- Procurement – social procurement practice and policy, Indigenous procurement, responsible purchasing and sourcing, cross-sector collaboration, community benefit clauses, etc.
- Social enterprise – social enterprise ecosystems, development, enablers and barriers, social innovation, social policy frameworks, social impact measurement, etc.
- Managing people and labour practices – social value created through the provision of a just, safe and healthy work environment for workers in the industry by way of a living wage and benefits such as a pension, holidays, work-life balance, sick pay and social protection, supporting a dialogue between employers and employees, and providing opportunities for training and development, etc.
- Organizational governance – social value created from accountability and transparency in decision making, responsible use of financial, natural and human resources, considering all key stakeholders in decision making, including minority groups, monitoring and reporting of all business activities, both positive and negative, etc.
- Fair business practices – respect for the law, practicing accountability and fairness in business relationships, social procurement, and responsible sourcing, etc.
- Consumer issues – social value secured through the provision of healthy and safe end products, buildings and infrastructure, giving accurate information about projects, products and services, promoting sustainable consumption, designing products which can be reused, repaired or recycled, reducing packaging waste, and protecting consumer privacy when handling personal data, etc.
Membership
The CIB TG127 will welcome members from academia, government, industry, and the third sector including:
- Researchers in construction management, policy, governance, sustainability, and procurement, community involvement and development, design, planning, environmental management, human rights, social enterprise, managing people and labour practices, fair business, and consumer issues.
- Policymakers involved in social procurement policy development.
- Industry professionals engaged in procurement, construction and contract management, social value delivery, sustainability, community involvement and development, design, planning, environmental management, and managing people and labour practices.
- Representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and social enterprises active in inclusive employment and community development.
Recruitment will focus on diverse regional representation to ensure a global perspective on social value opportunities and challenges .
Planned Meetings or Schedule
| Timeframe | Activity | Details & Purpose |
| Year 1 – Q1 | Kick-off Meeting | Establish TG127 goals, research priorities, thematic clusters (e.g. procurement, design, workforce diversity, employment pathways, policy), and form working group. Agree task group leadership structure and responsibilities. |
| Year 1 – Q2 | Research Seminar | Discuss, debate and disseminate research. Potential Topic: “Social Value in the Built Environment: Definitions, Debates and Directions” – set foundational discourse and invite keynote speaker. |
| Year 1 – Q3 | Case Study Calls | Launch a global call to collect local and regional case studies from members across public, private, and third sectors on social value in projects and practices across the built environment. |
| Year 1 – Q4 | Roundtable | Potential Topic: Legislation & Policy. Invite government and NGO partners to discuss global policy frameworks for social procurement and social value mandates. |
| Year 2 – Q1 | Annual Virtual TG Meeting | Share Year 1 research roadmap findings, coordinate next-stage activities. |
| Year 2 – Q2–Q3 | Research Seminars | Discuss, debate and disseminate research. Potential Topics: (1) “Measuring Social Value: Metrics and Frameworks”, (2) “Cross-sector Collaboration and Procurement Models”. |
| Year 2 – Q4 | Roundtable | Potential Topic: Practice-Led Innovations. Industry-focused session to discuss initial findings and research outcomes and gather practitioner feedback. |
| Year 3 – Q1 | Annual Virtual TG Meeting | Review outputs, assess engagement, and develop dissemination strategies. |
| Year 3 – Q2 | CIB World Building Congress | Host a dedicated TG session on “Social Value in the Built Environment” with academic and industry presentations. |
| Year 3 – Q3 | Research and Practice Seminar | Bring together wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, industry practitioners, and policy makers, to discuss and debate progress and future development needs on social value. |
| Year 3 – Q4 | Final Wrap-Up Meeting and TG Evaluation | Present outcomes and findings of the TG work and explore transitioning to a full CIB Working Commission. |
Planned outputs
Year 1: Setting up the TG127 structure and processes; research foundations, and stakeholder engagement
- Research Roadmap: A global synthesis of academic literature, legislative trends, and sectoral practices related to social value in built environment.
- Case Study Framework: Develop a structured template for gathering and analysing international case studies.
- Webinar and Seminar: Summary and minutes of the meetings hosted by the TG127 coordinators. Recorded keynote presentation.
- Policy Brief: A focused briefing paper presenting emerging findings and insights from ongoing TG127 activities. Potential Topic: “Global Landscape of Social Value Legislation and Implementation in Built Environment.”
Year 2: Knowledge Production and Practical Application
- Special Issue Proposal Submission: Submit a special issue proposal focused on social value to one of the CIB-endorsed journals, aligning with TG127’s activities, research themes and outputs.
- Research Seminar: Summary and minutes of the meetings hosted by TG127 coordinators. Recorded presentations.
- Policy Brief: A focused briefing paper presenting emerging findings and insights from ongoing Task Group activities. Potential Topic: “Social Procurement Models and Barriers: Cross-Country Analysis.”
- Cross-sector Case Study Compilation: A collection of diverse international case studies illustrating social value practices across different contexts in the built environment.
Year 3: Dissemination and Impact
- Task Group Report: A synthesis of key findings, insights, and recommendations derived from the Task Group’s collective research and engagement activities.
- CIB World Building Congress Session: Showcase collective insights, findings, and best practices through presentations and a facilitated panel. Summary and minutes of the meeting.
- Research Agenda: Outline of progress and map of future development needs on social value in the built environment.
- Final TG127 meeting: Engage global members to present findings and discuss transition of TG to Working Commission. Summary and minutes of the meeting.
Proposed CIB Encouraged Journal Relationships
- Building Research & Information (BR&I) [Taylor and Francis (Informa)]
- Buildings & Cities [Ubiquity Press]
- Built Environment Project and Asset Management (BEPAM) [Emerald]
- Civil Engineering and Management, Journal of [Taylor & Francis (Informa)]
- Construction Economics and Building, Journal of [UTS ePRESS]
- Construction in Developing Countries, Journal of [Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia]
- Construction Innovation: Information, Process, Management (CI) [Emerald]
- Construction Management, International Journal of [Taylor and Francis (Informa)]
- Construction Management and Economics (CM&E) [Taylor and Francis (Informa)]
- Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, International Journal of (IJDRBE) [Emerald]
- Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management (ECAM) [Emerald]
- Facilities [Emerald]
- Management, Procurement and Law [ICE]
- Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE) [Emerald]
Proposed Student Chapter Relationships
- Collaboration with CIB-affiliated Early Career Researcher networks and Student Chapters to mentor young researchers in this field.
- Encourage PhD and Master’s students to participate in research projects and case studies.
Communication Proposal
- CIB Website Presence – Regular updates and research dissemination.
- Webinars & Virtual Events – Hosting discussions with thought leaders in social value and social procurement.
- Social Media Engagement – Disseminating findings and increasing visibility through relevant social and media platforms.
Communication Proposal
3 years (with a possibility to transition into a CIB Working Commission based on impact and membership engagement).
The full list of CIB Working Commissions and Task Groups can be found here.
If you wish to participate in this or any CIB Working Commission or Task Group, contact Sina Moradi in the first instance.