CIWM Early Careers ambassador Arjayan Raveenthiran, Compliance & Educational Manager at FCC Environment, explains why social value is so important in the resource and waste sector.
When I first began working in the waste and resource management sector, one of the things that struck me most was just how far our work reaches because waste is something every single person produces.
Every household, every business, every school, every organisation interacts with the services that we provide in FCC Environment. Because of that, the importance of social value in our sector is huge. It is not something abstract; it affects real people every day.
From studying environmental economics, I learned that not everything important can be measured in pounds and pence. Some of the most meaningful outcomes in society are the ones that don’t show up on a balance sheet, such as healthier communities, increased opportunities and pride in local places.
This is essentially what social value is. It looks at the wider impact an organisation has on people and communities by considering the social, economic and environmental benefits created through everyday work.
It encourages organisations to think beyond financial results and recognise the positive difference they can make to society as a whole.
Why social value matters so much in waste management
The way we manage waste influences the quality of neighbourhoods, public health, community pride and how people understand their role in a circular economy.
In my role as a Compliance and Education Manager in Wrexham, I see this impact first-hand. We are not only heavily involved in ensuring the safe and responsible running of our operations, but also in community-facing work that helps create real social value.
This includes delivering educational sessions to schools and disadvantaged communities, promoting recycling and reuse, supporting local projects and using digital platforms to reach wider audiences.
We’ve found TikTok to be a particularly effective tool for engaging the next generation, helping to make recycling and circular economy messages accessible and relatable to young people.
These activities build awareness and understanding, and they help people feel part of the solution. Empowering individuals allows for a behavioural change, and this is essential for a successful circular economy.
Measuring social value
Understanding the impact we create is just as important as delivering the work itself, which is why it’s important to measure social value. At FCC Environment, we use the Thrive platform to measure and manage our social value in line with the UK Government’s Social Value Model and the Impact Evaluation Standard.
Thrive helps me track and report on the wider benefits of our work in Wrexham, whether that is community engagement, job creation, educational outreach or focusing on our workforce wellbeing.
Using Thrive gives me a much clearer sense of the difference we are making and allows me to reflect on how our projects support the local community. It also strengthens our ability to show this impact through data-supported evidence in our metric reports, bids and partnership work.
When social value is measured effectively, it becomes a powerful tool for understanding our impacts, driving improvement and shaping plans for the year ahead.
Our sector creates local jobs and supports skills development.
My own journey is a good example of how social value is not just something we generate externally, but something that is lived internally too. After graduating from university, I joined FCC Environment through the Graduate Scheme, which gave me hands-on experience, formal training, and the confidence to build a career in the waste sector.
That development continued as I moved into my current role as Compliance and Educational Manager. Along the way, I have gained technical skills, completed training courses, taken on new responsibilities, and grown both professionally and personally. To further broaden my horizons and contribute more widely to the sector, I have also joined the CIWM Early Career Ambassador team.
All of this is part of social value. When organisations invest in people, create opportunities, and help individuals progress, they contribute to stronger, more resilient communities.
My own career path reflects the positive impact that investment in skills and employment can have, not just for the individual, but for the wider sector and the communities we serve.
Looking ahead as a young professional
For me, social value is not a buzzword. It is a reminder of why what we do matters. Waste management is changing rapidly as we shift toward a more circular economy, and that shift will only succeed if people are placed at the centre of it.
As someone at the early stage of their career, I believe the future of our sector lies in designing services that do more than simply handle waste. They should strengthen communities, support wellbeing, encourage better choices and help build a more sustainable society.
Our sector affects everyone. That is exactly why social value should be at the heart of everything we do.