The Future of Social Value: Thoughts from the YPSV Panel
Last week, our CEO Tiia Sammallahti joined a panel at the Young Professionals in Social Value (YPSV) event, hosted at BT’s offices in London. It brought together 50 early-career professionals from across sectors, all focused on a shared mission: how to shape the future of social value in the public sector.
The energy in the room was real. These weren’t people waiting their turn to lead — they’re already making things happen in organisations big and small.
What YPSV is All About
YPSV started as a simple peer group but has grown into a brilliant community of over 500 members. It gives young professionals working in and around social value the space to connect, share experiences and learn from each other. It’s also helping to shift the spotlight to new voices in a sector that often leans heavily on senior leadership.
At whatimpact, we’re all for that kind of energy, inclusive, collaborative and forward-thinking.
What Tiia Shared
Tiia was invited to speak about the future of social value and offer some thoughts for those building their careers in the space. She talked about the power of technology and innovation, but also the importance of keeping people and purpose at the centre of it all. Social value is never just about data or metrics… it’s about real outcomes for real communities.
She also shared a reminder that stuck with a lot of us:
“Unless we are bold and brave, the world will not change.”
And this one too:
“Great things are never achieved by following the status quo.”
Both simple, but important.
A Look Ahead
It’s easy to get caught up in policy, frameworks and processes. But events like this one remind us that it’s the people behind the work that really matter. And when you bring together a group like this, curious, motivated, ready to ask better questions, you get more than a good event. You get momentum.
We’re excited to keep supporting the YPSV community, and to keep pushing for a future where social value is bold, meaningful and truly collaborative.
