Level 3 Advanced Practitioner
Are you a Social Value Associate or Accredited Practitioner who is looking to demonstrate advanced knowledge of social value and impact management?
If so then Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status is ideal qualification to ensure global recognition of your skills. This will demonstrate your advanced practical competence in the application of social impact, social value or SROI analysis in line with the international standards of best practice.
“Applying for Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status seemed to be a natural step following the Social Value & SROI practitioner course. The pathway would help me test my understanding of the Social Value Principles and validate my capacity to assess the impact potential of an enterprise. Obtaining the certification would also allow me to communicate this expertise more confidently and transparently towards future clients or partners.”
What is Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status?
Level 3 Advanced Practitioner is an internationally recognized qualification that demonstrates an advanced practical application of social value and impact management. It is an ideal qualification for people who are already a Level 1 Social Value Associate or Level 2 Accredited Practitioner and are looking to demonstrate advanced applied skills in social impact analysis, managing non-financial impacts, SROI analysis and social impact reporting. This certification can assist individuals in advancing their careers across a range of sectors.
To become a Level 3 Advanced Practitioner, you will first need to achieve either Level 1 Social Value Associate, or Level 2 Accredited Practitioner status.
To progress to Level 3 it is expected that you will enhance your knowledge and expertise further towards advanced practice by by writing an SROI or Social Impact report without assistance, and without limitations to your practice.
You are also required to have successfully completed an SVI Accredited Training course. This is a required step as it is fundamental to prepare you with the skills and knowledge to be able to undertake your social value or SROI practice.
Assessment Criteria:
Applicant must be a Level 1 Social Value Associate, or a Level 2 Accredited Practitioner*.
Successful completion of an Accredited training program.
Successful assurance of an SROI or Social Impact report. Assured reports need to meet the criteria in this document. Many examples of assured reports can be found on the Report Database.
A Statement of Interest in Social Value and Impact Management – download a template here.
Successful completion of interview.
*Applicants can progress directly from Level 1 Social Value Associate status to Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status.
Interview details:
The interview will take place with a member of the Social Value International Assurance team and the assessor of your report. It will last for approximately 1 hour.
The purpose of the interview is to test your overall understanding of impact management and social value accounting in line with the Principles of Social Value, and your understanding of the Principles in practice (as evidenced through your assured report).
There will be a number of questions split between broad questions about social value, impact management and the Principles of Social Value, and some which are specific to the details of your assured report.
Valid for:
Two years.
Opportunities for progression
Eligibility for application to Accredited Trainer status, and delivery of SVI Accredited training courses.
Eligibility to apply for SVI Assessor status, and to provide SVI Assurance and Accreditation services as part of an SVI network.
Preparation:
To progress to Level 3 it is expected that you will enhance your knowledge and expertise further towards advanced practice by undertaking a social value, or SROI analysis without assistance or support and without any limitations to your practice.
You are also required to undertake an SVI Accredited Training course. This is a required step as it is fundamental to prepare you with the skills and knowledge to be able to undertake your social value or SROI practice.
To develop your skills in practice, you must:
Complete an SVI Accredited Training course
To help you to develop these skills you can also:
Work through the SVI E-Learning Zone ‘Practitioner Package’
We would also highly recommend that you:
Review the SVI Standards for applying the Social Value Principles and the SROI Guide.
Read the SVI Report Assurance Standard. This is the assessment criteria that will be used to assess your report.
Review other reports in the Report Database.
Supporting Documents:
Before you apply for Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status, please make sure you have completed all the supporting documents that are needed. These documents will need to be completed and submitted with your application:
Personal Statement of Interest in Social Value and Impact Management – a template is available to download here.
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. A blank template of the value map is available here.
Evidence of permission to submit the report from the relevant organisations. This evidence can be a signed letter, or a screenshot of an email from a representative of the organisation.
We also recommend that the applicant completes a copy of the Report Assurance Standard as a checklist, making clear where each criteria has been addressed within the analysis (for example, by quoting page numbers or section names). Download a copy of the Report Assurance Standard here.
Pricing:
Standard Application – £1200
Fast Track Application – £1400
Amendment Period – £300
PLEASE NOTE: The majority of reports submitted as part of an application must go through an amendment period where assessor feedback is implemented. We therefore recommend that you budget for the extra £300 amendment period fee.
UK-based applicants must pay an additional 20% VAT on the above.
Make your application
You can submit a standard application using the button below. Please note that applications will only be processed during the application rounds as per the Assurance Calendar unless you have organised a Fast-Track application directly with the Assurance Team. The dates of the application rounds during 2025 available in the Assurance Calendar here.
Fast-Track applications
Alternatively, you can use the Fast-Track service. This means you can apply at any time of the year, without having to wait for an application round. To apply for Fast-Track Report Assurance, please contact the assurance team to discuss timelines using the button below.
Already had a report assured?
If you have a Social Return on Investment or Social Impact report which has already passed Report Assurance, you may be eligible to go directly to the interview stage of a Level 2 Accredited Practitioner application. Applications made in this way have a reduced cost of £450.
What Is The Difference Between Level 2 Accredited & Level 3 Advanced Practitioner Status?
They are very similar. Both test a practical application of the SVI principles and framework for accounting for value. Applicants must be members, a Level 1 Social Value Associate and author a report that passes SVI Report Assurance as part of their application. The main difference is as follows:
Level 2 Accredited Practitioner status can be achieved through a more supported pathway, with the option to undertake mentoring or use the Pre-Report Assurance Outcomes Check.
The following types of reports can be used as part of an application for Level 2 Accredited Practitioner status (but not for Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status):
Reports which have been produced with the help of formal mentoring.
Reports which have been through the Pre-Report Assurance Outcomes Check.
Reports which have a limitation statement attached (e.g. Limited Application of Principle 4: Only Include What is Material).
Reports produced with the help of co-authors.
These circumstances offer Practitioners the opportunity to progress with their accreditation in a more supported manner, and also in circumstances where there may be some limitations to the practice undertaken.
Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status is achieved by producing a report that meets all of the Principles, with no limitations. It includes what matters to all stakeholders affected by the activities. Level 3 Advanced Practitioners have not completed their analysis with additional mentoring or support, and have not used a staggered assurance route and so they have demonstrated advanced Social Value and SROI practice.
Please note: Applicants can jump from Level 1 Social Value Associate to Level 3 Advanced Practitioner status. It is not a requirement that an applicant must become a Level 2 Accredited Practitioner before becoming a Level 3 Advanced Practitioner.
Renewals
Your status as a Advanced Practitioner will last 2 years.
To apply for Advanced Practitioner status renewal, the applicant must hold a current membership of Social Value International or one of its Joint Member Networks before the point of application.
The applicant must provide a document (no longer than one page of A4) outlining their continued work and development in social value as part of an application to renew your Social Value Associate Status status, and a statement template is available here.