By John Pearce, CEO, Made in Britain
This summer, Made in Britain has launched a new service for all our 2,200 members – the Environmental and Social Value (ESV) certification. The objective of this new and unique concept is to help our membership articulate their added social value to society, in a way that will increase their likelihood of winning business, primarily when aiming at new government or private sector tenders. Designed to be fully inclusive and affordable to all the manufacturing sectors and sizes, ESV has evolved, in constructive dialogue with our membership, for more than two years to reach our launch moment this year.
Social Value became a formal part of public sector procurement through the Social Value Act 2012. It is now even more central under the Procurement Act 2023, which strengthens the expectation that public bodies must consider the broader social, economic, and environmental impact of what they buy. The UK government recently updated procurement priorities through PPN002 and the Social Value Model. With £350 billion of UK government procurement spend every year, companies and supply chains are increasingly also demanding Social Value.
At Made in Britain, we are all starting to see ESV language as an exciting and attractive new way to describe what a genuinely net-positive business looks like, and to shape how the British economy can more accurately reflect environmental and social growth, not just the blunt (and sometimes tuneless) instrument of growth in numbers. Early take-up signs look very positive.
It is the people who make manufacturing what it is, and I have never met a person working for our members who does not know exactly what they are making and what it means. One of the most positive social impacts I’ve seen in manufacturing this year is the focus on reducing employee turnover and strengthening loyalty to both brand and product. Being recognised as a “good employer” now requires clear metrics and qualitative measures that demonstrate how businesses improve the well-being and development of their workforce. While we often highlight the longevity of Made in Britain member companies — many serving the economy for over 50 years — it is far less common to hear individual stories of employees dedicating such long service within the sector.
However, on 2nd August 2025, Kevin Duckett marked 60 years of uninterrupted full-time service at member ROSS Pneumatrol Ltd’s Accrington-based facility. Since joining the company in 1965, Kevin (pictured, right) has been a cornerstone of their heavy assembly department — showing up every day with unmatched dedication, skill, and pride in his work. His contribution reflects the very best of what it means to be Made in Britain: craftsmanship, reliability, and a deep-rooted commitment to quality. Kevin’s legacy is not only in the machines he’s helped build, but in the generations of colleagues he’s mentored and inspired. To honour this milestone, ROSS Pneumatrol held a celebration attended by current and former staff, including past directors and long-time teammates — all paying tribute to a man who has helped shape the company and their culture.
The social value of connection, belonging, longevity and meaning are just as valuable to a business and to teams, as having the right product at the right price. I look to the future of economic value definitions, and I am sure that social will become even more important to all of us in the coming years.
By Made in Britain 13 hours ago | By Made in Britain