Report Assurance
Getting your social value report independently assured will give your work and its findings an externally verified mark of quality and credibility.
What Is Report Assurance?
Assurance is more than just a rubber-stamping exercise. It is also a learning process designed to help you improve the way you measure impact.
During the process of Report Assurance your social value or SROI analysis will be independently checked by our qualified assessors. They will check that the report shows good understanding of social value principles and practice. For an SROI report this means that ‘Principle 3: Value what matter’ requires the use of financial proxies. However, any social value/impact report can be tested against The Principles of Social Value.
Note: Assurance is a principles-based assessment. It does not include verification of stakeholder engagement, data and calculations.
When you submit your report for assurance, there are 4 possible results:
There are four possible results:
Report assured
Report does not meet the assurance standard criteria, but can with changes possible within an amendment period
Report does not meet the assurance standard criteria
Report assured with attached limitation statement: ‘Limitation of the application of Principle 4: Only include what is material’
To find out more about Report Assurance, and the way in which a report is assessed by Social Value International, please download the Report Assurance Standard.
Supporting Documents:
Before you apply for Report Assurance, please make sure you have completed all the supporting documents that are needed:
A complete Word (or similar) version of the report to be assured, including any appendices and with all references to the author removed
A complete Excel (or similar) version of the value map used as the basis of the analysis with all references to the author removed
Evidence of permission to submit the report from the relevant organisations
A signed copy of the terms and conditions of application.
Pre-Assurance Check Service:
Before submitting your report for assurance, it is worth considering the Pre-Assurance check service. The Pre-Assurance Check service provides an applicant intending to submit a report for Report Assurance to check that the stakeholder engagement undertaken and defining of outcomes in their analysis have been done in alignment with the Report Assurance Standard criteria. This allows for refinements to be made at an earlier stage in data collection and report development and reduces the risk that a report will not successfully meet the Assurance requirements.
Apply:
Standard Application
You can submit a standard application using the button below. (PLEASE NOTE: applications will only be processed during the application rounds as per the Assurance Calendar unless you have organised a Fast Track timeline directly with the Assurance Team.)
Fast Track Application
Alternatively, you can use the Fast-Track service. This means you can apply at any time of the year.
To apply for Fast-Track Report Assurance, please contact the assurance team using the button below.
Cost:
All Assurance and Accreditation services are discounted by 10% if you have an organisational membership.
Standard Report Assurance = £750 + VAT
Fast-Track Report Assurance = £1050 + VAT
Amendment period (optional) = £300 + VAT
PLEASE NOTE: The majority of reports are of a standard that mean they have to go through a post assessment amendment period. We therefore recommend that you budget for the extra £300 + VAT fee.
Frequently Asked Questions:
+ What is assurance?
Assurance is more than just a rubber-stamping exercise. It is also a learning process designed to help you improve the way you measure impact.
During the process your analysis will be independently checked by our qualified assessors. They will check that a report shows good understanding of Social Value principles and practice. For an SROI report this means that principle #3 “value what matters” requires the use of financial proxies. However any social value/impact report can be tested against the Social Value principles.
Assurance is a principles based assessment. It does not include verification of stakeholder engagement, data and calculations.
+ What reports can be assured?
Any social value or SROI report can apply for Report Assurance. Either type of report needs to meet the Report Assurance Standard Criteria.
+ What other support is there for developing social value reporting practice?
Peer Support: As a member of SVI you are encouraged to gain support from other members through regional meetings, LinkedIn groups and, webinars.
Assurance Standard: Our assurance standard is available in a checklist format for you to use as you produce your report. Download it here.
Report Review Service: Submit any report to Social Value UK and feedback is provided on where the report shows good application of the Social Value Principles and areas in which it needs improving.
Mentoring: Social Value UK provide a mentoring service that offers intense 1-2-1 coaching. The service is open to all members of Social Value International. NB: if a report has been produced with help from this mentoring service, it is not possible for it to be part of an individual’s application for accredited practitioner status.
+ When can I submit a report for assurance?
You can submit an application during a standard assurance and accreditation round (a two week period in which we receive many applications).
Alternatively, you can use the Fast-Track service. This means you can apply at any time of the year.
+ What is the Fast-Track service?
This option is much quicker than normal applications and you can submit at any time of the year. It costs an extra £300 but means you receive the results in half the time and do not have to wait for an ‘assurance round’.
+ How long does the process take?
When a report is submitted through an assurance round you should allow up to six weeks for the results to be returned.
When a report is submitted through the Fast-Track service you should allow two to three weeks for the results to be returned.
For reports that require some alterations in order to meet assurance requirements, the author will have the option to take an amendment period in which to make the necessary changes. The amendment period is five weeks from the date the applicant received their initial feedback. This amendment stage is subject to an extra fee, on top of the initial assurance/accreditation fee, in order to cover additional costs of re-checking the amended report and administration (see ‘Cost’ section above).
+ What if my report does not meet the assurance standard?
If your report does not meet all of the report assurance standard it can still receive the assurance certificate but it will include some ‘qualifications’. Qualifications are qualifying statements that highlight where the report does not meet the report assurance standard.
+ I have produced a report working as part of a team, can this be submitted for assurance?
Yes, if submitting for report assurance it doesn’t matter how many authors there are. However, if you are using the report as part of your application to become an Accredited or Advcanced Practitioner, you must be the lead author.
+ Do you have examples of the process?
If you are interested in getting a report assured, you can find out more about the process in the case studies Social Value UK have collected in their resource library.