PUBLICATION DATE
15th May 2026

Introducing:

Socially Successful Projects in the built environment

Demystifying social value and stakeholder engagement

Description

In recent years the built environment sector has started to shift its stakeholder consultation methods to a much more people-focused approach, facilitated by social value.  ‘Social value’ is currently a buzz word within the built environment, often dealt with as a requirement in tenders or contracts.  With no established policy or legislation in place that is accepted across the industry, the key to achieving this often lies in professionals themselves, developing authentic and collaborative stakeholder engagement and embedding the principles of social value within their project processes.

This book will help the reader understand the theory behind a reframed approach to stakeholder engagement using a social value lens.  We argue that projects in the built environment need to be technically feasible, financially viable, and socially successful.  Project managers need to focus on all three elements, which we summarise as ‘concrete, cash and connection’.   Failing to meet that third criterion can lead to push back, protests, delays and potentially unsuccessful projects.  This book focuses on that element, providing a step-by-step guide to how a project can be socially successful.   In summary, this is about delivering better projects for both the stakeholders and project teams.

Due to be published by Routledge in the first half of 2026, this book will unravel the complex relationship between social value and stakeholder engagement and reveal a transformative practical theory for effective collaboration and facilitation. Along the way, the authors address key issues such as design philosophy, scenario development, stakeholder analysis, optioneering and project learning, and provide practical advice on how to use these methods within real world projects.