RSSB2630 - T1127 Creating a common framework of how rail can measure and understand its social impactvalue as a system - Supplier Day on Thursday 3rd August from 13:15 - 14:45

RSSB is holding a Supplier Day on Thursday 3rd August from 13:15 - 14:45 concerning RSSB2630 - T1127 Creating a common framework of how rail can measure and understand its social impact value as a system

If you would like to attend please email the following email address with the name of your organisation and attendees:

[email protected]

-- The GB rail industry has robust means to measure the economic value of rail, however, social sustainability still relies largely on narrative explanations and limited metrics. While there has been much progress on understanding and targeting the social value of rail projects, the absence of a robust methodology and baseline to measure, monitor and evaluate social impacts has resulted in inconsistencies across industry and little trust in existing metrics. This has made it challenging to assess the social return on investment (SROI) within the investment optioneering, planning and delivery of the railway. Sustainability is becoming increasingly embedded within industry, as such, there is an increasing need to consistently and proportionally measure and monitor social impacts across the rail system. Recent examples of social impact expectations include • South Western franchise Invitation to Tender (ITT) - Bidders required to 'develop a dashboard of metrics for Stations or groups of Stations that ... evidence improvements to ... meeting the community's needs'; • East Midlands Franchise Prospectus - Franchisees 'required to proactively develop meaningful relationships with the communities the franchise serves, working with stakeholders across the region to encourage greater social inclusion'; • Thameslink and Crossrail - Network Rail teams have been challenged to report on the social value delivered through the life of projects; • Upcoming major infrastructure projects such as Crossrail 2, Brighton Main Line Upgrade Programme (BMUP) and TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU) - Requirements for clear planning on incorporation of social value within the design and delivery, including improved measurement of benefits analysis; • Network Rail - Setting contractor requirements around delivery of social benefits as part of the wider environment and social contract requirement updates. However, measurement of benefits delivered is an ongoing challenge.

This project will develop a common framework and guidance to understand and measure social value impacts across GB rail industry organisations, projects and programmes. The proposed outputs will provide industry with greater consistency and quality assurance and support the Rail Sustainable Development Principles by enabling industry to have 'an in-depth understanding of the issues and needs in a local area'. The project outputs will help inform the development of rail organisations' social assessment tools, enabling industry to collect metrics and set social performance goals.