As the construction and energy sectors continue to evolve, social value is no longer a tick-box exercise—it’s a core part of doing business responsibly. But as expectations grow, so too does the need for meaningful data and measurable impact.
In this Meet the Buyer feature, we sit down with Clémence O’Connor, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Dalkia UK, to explore how the company is not only embedding social value across its operations but also embracing digital transformation to track, evidence and amplify that impact. From shifting industry trends to choosing the right technology, Clémence shares Dalkia’s journey—and what others can learn from it.
Clémence, can you start by telling us a bit about Dalkia UK?
Dalkia UK delivers technical and energy services to a wide range of clients across both the public and private sectors throughout the UK.
As part of the EDF Group, we benefit from the strength and scale of our parent company, while retaining the personal touch of a smaller business. We pride ourselves on being a people-first organisation, and our customers often tell us that we build some of the best relationships in the industry.
Our strength lies in the diversity and expertise of our people. We put safety at the heart of everything we do, adopting a proactive approach to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone we work with.
Why are social value and sustainability important to Dalkia UK?
At Dalkia UK, we take our responsibilities seriously. We act fairly, ethically, and with integrity, and we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives and health of individuals and the communities in which we operate.
Our CSR strategy is structured around four key pillars and includes twelve clear commitments—one of which is to generate social value wherever we work. While we are dedicated to delivering high-quality services for our clients, we are equally focused on creating meaningful outcomes for local communities.
This commitment runs deep. It matters not only to the business but also to our people, who are genuinely passionate about making a difference. Embedding social value in our work ensures we address critical areas such as environmental sustainability, health and wellbeing, equity, diversity and inclusion, and lifelong learning.
What changes have you seen in your industry regarding social value? Is this becoming more of a priority for contractors and subcontractors?
Absolutely, it’s a growing priority across the industry, particularly within public sector projects. We’ve seen a shift towards more defined targets being set, which are then cascaded down from clients to main contractors and subsequently to their supply chains.
As a contractor, we recognise our duty to mitigate the impacts associated with the services we provide. More and more, there’s an expectation that our work not only meets technical and commercial objectives but also contributes positively to the communities we operate in, economically, environmentally and socially.
We regularly attend industry events and engage with our supply chain and client network, and it’s clear that social value is now a key topic in these conversations.
What motivated Dalkia UK to adopt a software solution for measuring and tracking social value?
Dalkia UK has a strong track record in delivering social value, but we’ve historically faced challenges in consistently tracking and quantifying our contributions across the business.
We wanted a clearer, more centralised view of our social value activity across all divisions, and at both corporate and project level. This would help us identify best practices, share success stories, and increase our impact. Just as importantly, we wanted to hold ourselves accountable and demonstrate our delivery in a way that is visible and measurable.
Forecasting and evidencing our social value outcomes provides the consistency and credibility our clients expect and reinforces our commitment to creating local impact.
What benefits do you expect from being able to track and evidence your social value delivery more effectively?
Improved transparency and visibility across our business will strengthen our overall approach to social value. Being able to see what’s being delivered in each area, particularly in key sectors such as education and healthcare, helps us better understand where we can generate the most meaningful impact.
Quantifying and even monetising our social value outcomes also provides a competitive advantage. It allows us to reassure stakeholders that we are living up to our commitments, and that we can demonstrate this clearly and consistently through robust reporting.
Why is digitalising your processes a priority for Dalkia, and how will this improve communication and transparency?
Capturing the data we need in one central, user-friendly platform was essential. Previously, different teams were working in silos, using spreadsheets—or in some cases, not tracking their social value contributions at all. This made it difficult to provide accurate, transparent reporting.
By digitalising the process, we can now access reliable data across the business, which gives us peace of mind and ensures full visibility. It supports better communication internally and helps us engage more effectively with external stakeholders.
What advice would you give to other companies looking to enhance their social value and sustainability practices—especially those beginning their digitalisation journey?
Investing in digital tools is essential for taking your business to the next level. Social value is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s a key requirement for both public and private sector clients.
We know that most companies share similar goals: to support people, protect the environment and deliver benefits to wider society. But unless you can capture and report on your impact, it’s difficult to hold yourself accountable or show stakeholders what you’re achieving.
Digitalising these processes helps ensure accuracy, promotes transparency and, ultimately, saves time. It also reduces the risk of losing valuable data, especially if it’s stored with individuals rather than centrally.
What was most important when selecting the right digital tool for your business needs?
We had previously used another social value management platform before transitioning to Compliance Chain, so we had a clear understanding of what we needed.
The user experience was a top priority. We know that our people are busy, and asking them to spend time reporting on their work can be a challenge. If the tool isn’t intuitive or user-friendly, it becomes a barrier to adoption.
We also wanted reassurance that we’d receive the right support throughout the onboarding and implementation process. Compliance Chain stood out for its flexibility—the platform can be tailored to our needs, which is vital given that each division of our business has different requirements.
We’re really pleased with the support we’ve received and are already seeing improvements in the way we report and share our social value data.
Beth supports users to optimise solutions, ensuring the success of clients’ projects. She actively listens to industry feedback, contributing to the ongoing development of software solutions.
