What is Social Value?
“Social progress should not be treated as separate from business strategy, but as an integral part of it.”
— Mark R. Kramer
Social Value is the creation of lasting, positive impact for the benefit of society, driven by what gives meaning and purpose to individuals.
In the literature, Social Value is not defined by a single universally accepted description. Different disciplines, including economics, social policy, business, and impact measurement, approach the concept from different perspectives. Yet they share a common foundation: the positive change created in the well-being of people and communities.
“Man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain, but rather to see a meaning in his life.”
— Viktor E. Frankl
Why Social Value Matters?
“At the heart of evolution lies cooperation more than competition.”
— Prof. Dr. Türker Kılıç
As corporate strategies continue to evolve, sustainability is no longer a choice, but it has become a fundamental strategic imperative.
Since the early 2020s, many organizations have made significant progress in environmental sustainability, taking meaningful steps to reduce carbon footprints and rethink the way resources are consumed and managed.
However, while sustainability efforts have deepened on the environmental front, the social dimension of sustainability—its focus on people, communities, equity, and inclusion—has not always received the same level of attention. Yet lasting impact can only be achieved through approaches that care not only for the planet but also for people.
What organizations need today is a more holistic understanding of sustainability, one that goes beyond environmental concerns and places social impact, diversity, equity, and inclusion at the center of strategic decision-making.
The future of organizations will be shaped not only by how efficiently they operate, but also by the value they create, for whom they create it, and the impact they leave behind.
As Viktor Frankl emphasized, a true community is not a collective in which the human being gets lost. It is a structure where each person can fully be an individual, freely embrace responsibility, take action and create meaningful impact for their community.
The Social Value Creation Workshop is a transformational journey that organizations can implement together with their teams, aligned with their social sustainability strategies. It creates space for individuals to identify and take ownership of their concerns. They do that by taking initiatives in areas where they find meaning, create a change, thereby transform their intrinsic motivation into sustainable impact.
“The next evolution of business is the simultaneous creation of economic and social value.”
— Michael E. Porter
Via Social Value @Work…
At Social Value @Work, this is precisely what we aim to make: the transformation within organizations to create social impact.
People at corporations have a role beyond their professional tasks. They want to take ownership of the impact they create. At its core, human motivation is not simply about doing a job, but it is about contributing to something meaningful and seeing the difference one makes.
A community is far from being a group of people where individuals find meaning through blending and fitting in. It is a place where every individual can authentically exist, exercise freedom of choice, take responsibility, and act together as a team for shared goals.
Our aim is to bring the active citizenship attitude into everyday business life, not as an aspect outside of corporate life, but as an integral part of daily business decisions, relationships, and ways of working.
Social Value Creation Workshop Philosophy
Meaning, Purpose, and Human Motivation
Why do we seek making meaningful contributions, rather than only doing our work?
We search for meaning in life. When individuals contribute, cultivate their intrinsic motivation, and translate the meaning they find in life into action, they create greater well-being, fulfillment, and prosperity for themselves and those around them.
Connection, Belonging, and Being Human
How do we become more authentic, trusting, and productive together?
Through strong relationships. Human beings grow not in isolation, but through relationships—by building connections, developing trust, and practicing empathy.
Responsibility, Awareness, and Leadership
How do we move from reactive behavior to conscious responsible behavior?
Take initiative. Individuals become proactive contributors only when they recognize their own capacity to create the change, take ownership, and become part of the solution, instead of waiting for others to act.
Systems Thinking and Holistic Impact
How can organizations be not only performance-driven, create not only performance, but also create sustainable social impact?
See the bigger picture. Organizations generate social impact when they recognize that they co-exist within an eco-system of people and communities. Only when they intentionally consider the positive effects of their existence on people and society, will there be a sustainable change.
Emotions, Experience, and Human Impact
What truly transforms human behavior, knowledge, or experiences and emotions?
Connect with your inner self. While people often act based on knowledge and their past experiences, what ultimately moves and motivates them is how they feel, what they hear, and how they remember those experiences.
Our Inspirations
Meaning, Freedom, and Responsibility — Viktor E. Frankl
Start With Why (Why–How–What) — Simon Sinek
Ubuntu Philosophy — Desmond Tutu
The Power of Emotions and Human Connection — Maya Angelou
The Philosophy of Rumi — Rumi
Systems Thinking and Wholeness Theory
Locus of Control
Above and Below the Line Framework — Conscious Leadership Group
Co-Journeying® Approach — Dr. Shirli Ender Büyükbay
Mind the Positive Philosophy — Dr. Shirli Ender Büyükbay
Mindfulness and Zen Philosophy
Ikigai — Japanese Philosophy of Purpose
Leadership Beyond Authority — Common Purpose
