Let's Talk Social Value

Hosted by Samtaler

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Episodes

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

If you want to know what’s happening in social value and understand what good looks like, Then this podcast is for you. It can be hard to keep up to date with the amount of information; it is also time-consuming to read more and more content. Join Sarah Stone, Founder and Director of Samtaler, a social value agency based in the UK. Sarah is a renowned social value expert and works with complex organisations to deliver social value training and consultancy support. Each month we will bring you a host of experts from the private, public and third sectors, all doing amazing things to create social value. We will hear about their work and explore a range of topics from; public sector procurement and supply chain diversity to impact measurement. So join us and learn what social value is and how to create it.

Listen to episodes

34 recent

June 5, 2026Episode 532 min

Ben Carpenter, Social Value International

In this episode of Let’s Talk Social Value, Sarah Stone is joined by Ben Carpenter, CEO of Social Value International (SVI), the global member-led network with a mission to change how the world accounts for value. Together they explore how the social value movement is evolving worldwide - beyond procurement and compliance - towards systems change that helps organisations measure what really matters for people and planet. We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

May 12, 2026Episode 517 min

Emma Jones, Small Business Commissioner

In this episode of Let’s Talk Social Value, Sarah Stone is joined by Emma Jones, the UK’s Small Business Commissioner, to explore the real impact of late payment on SMEs - and what’s changing.Explore how late payment impacts SMEs and supply chains, upcoming legislation, 60-day payment terms, and why prompt payment is critical to delivering real social value.We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

March 6, 2026Episode 430 min

Jacob Hill, Offploy

In this episode, Sarah is joined by Jacob Hill to explore why businesses should rethink how they approach hiring people with convictions.This honest and practical conversation challenges common misconceptions about risk, trust, and employability. Jacob shares why inclusive recruitment isn’t just a moral argument, it’s a commercial one, and how giving people a second chance can strengthen teams, improve retention, and create real social impact.In this episode, we discuss:▪ The stigma people with convictions face when applying for work ▪ Why employment is one of the biggest drivers of reducing reoffending ▪ The business case for inclusive recruitment ▪ What employers get wrong about risk ▪ How organisations can create the right support structures internallyThis episode is for leaders, HR professionals, procurement teams, and social value practitioners who want to move beyond policy statements and take meaningful action.We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

February 9, 2026Episode 336 min

Helen Longfils, Mitie

In this episode of Let’s Talk… Social Value Strategies, Sarah Stone is joined by Helen Longfils, Group Director of Social Value at Mitie, to explore how social value can move beyond CSR and deliver meaningful, measurable impact.Helen shares how Mitie developed its Plan Thrive social value strategy, why good jobs are central to thriving communities, and how a theory of change helps organisations connect activity to long-term outcomes. The conversation covers inclusive recruitment, place-based delivery, ESG governance, and embedding social value across large public sector contracts.A must-listen for anyone working in social value, ESG, procurement, public sector delivery, or social impact.We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

January 21, 202611 min

Jacob Hill, Institute for Social Value

In this Bitesize episode of Let’s Talk Social Value – Stories and Insights, Jacob Hill, interim CEO and board member at the Institute for Social Value (ISV), talks about stepping into the role and what he has learned so far about the organisation and the wider sector. The conversation explores how ISV supports social value practitioners, organisations and technology providers, and how it connects with Social Value International as the UK “chapter” and custodian of its training and accreditation offer.We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

December 19, 2025Episode 235 min

Kathy Walker, StartUp Sherpas

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Kathy Walker, Co-Founder and CEO of StartUp Sherpas, an edtech company delivering remote work experience and career readiness programmes through their own digital platform.Kathy shares how StartUp Sherpas is helping to bridge the gap between the skills young people learn in school and the skills employers need in the modern workplace. She explains why the traditional education system struggles to keep pace with the rapid changes in the world of work, and how Start Up Sherpas uses innovation and entrepreneurship as vehicles to prepare young people for future careers.Sarah and Kathy discuss the importance of scalability in education, the power of technology to reach more learners, and how nurturing entrepreneurial thinking can open up new pathways for young people across all industries.We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

October 31, 2025Episode 142 min

Richard Milburn, King’s College London

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Dr Richard Milburn, Visiting Lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London and UK representative for the Pole Pole Foundation, a gorilla conservation charity in Eastern Congo.Richard shares how he applies behavioural science and creative problem-solving to tackle complex challenges in conservation, peacebuilding and social value. He explains why he sees conservation as a social issue as much as an environmental one, highlighting projects such as tackling malnutrition in Congo through spirulina to reduce reliance on poaching.Sarah and Richard discuss how the same behavioural insights can be used to rethink social value in the UK, from replacing CV-based recruitment with challenge-based tasks, to creating back-to-work bonds and linking recycling levies to homelessness initiatives. They also explore his work with Tunza Games and how gamification can inspire engagement and fund real-world conservation..We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

June 6, 2025Episode 545 min

Angela Halliday, Sodexo

In this episode, Sarah speaks to Angela Halliday, Director of Social Impact at Sodexo, who plays a key role in guiding Sodexo’s approach to social value. Rather than delivering social impact directly, Angela acts as an internal consultant - educating, enabling, and empowering Sodexo’s workforce to drive change. Listen in to find out about why embedding social value into business operations is more effective than standalone projects, how Sodexo measures social impact beyond numbers and the commercial benefits of social impact, from employee retention to brand reputation. Angela gives some real insight into how companies can create inclusive hiring practices to tap into underutilised talent pools, using Sodexo's impressive record in their success in hiring ex-prisoners as an example.We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

May 7, 2025Episode 627 min

Angela Benson & Sarah Hinchliffe , Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP)

In this episode of Let's Talk Social Value, Sarah interviews Angela Benson and Sarah Hinchliffe from the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP). Sarah Hinchliffe, founder and Chair of the APMP UK Social Value Working Group, and Angela Benson, a board member and global head of bid management, share their insights into how bid professionals are shaping the future of social value in procurement.Listen in to hear their take on what buyers are really looking for, how the public and private sectors are evolving, and why a bolted-on approach to social value just doesn’t cut it anymore. Whether you're writing your first social value response or refining a mature strategy, this episode offers real-world tactics, honest reflections, and plenty of professional wisdom.We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.

April 4, 2025Episode 540 min

Catherine Manning, Impact Reporting

In this episode of Let's Talk Social Value, Sarah interviews Catherine Manning, Head of Impact Practice at Impact Reporting and the Programme Director and driving force behind the social valuation tool, MeasureUp. They explore how social value measurement is evolving to focus on real impact rather than just compliance; the opportunities this provides for meaningful decision-making, the role of technology in enhancing measurement practices, and how smaller organisations can effectively start their social value journey. Listen in to also hear their discussion on emerging trends in transparent valuation practices, the challenges faced by resource-limited organisations, and Catherine Manning’s expert advice for newcomers to the field.We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss or you would like to be considered as a guest please get in touch at hello@samtaler.co.uk.