Why “Off-the-Shelf” Social Value Metrics Don’t Work

Those of us who work in social value know how difficult it can be to capture what really matters — the change that’s happening for people, not just the numbers we can easily count.

That’s why I really appreciated this recent piece from Estates Gazette on why “off-the-shelf” metrics often miss the mark. It highlights something we see every day: when you use a single, fixed framework without space for context, nuance, or local priorities, the results can feel disconnected from what’s actually happening on the ground.

At MeasureUp, we’ve tried to build something a little different, a framework that gives structure and consistency, but still allows practitioners to use judgement and evidence that reflect their work. It’s encouraging to see organisations like Related Argent using MeasureUp in exactly that way, grounding their social value reporting in the real stories and data behind their developments.

You can read the full Estates Gazette article here:
👉 Why Off-the-Shelf Social Value Metrics Don’t Work