Workshops

As impact investing continues to gain global traction, and aligning private capital with public good continues to grow, social outcomes contracts are gaining renewed attention as a way to finance measurable impact. But what draws investors to this model? What makes it work in practice? And what needs to shift to unlock greater investment at scale?

This interactive workshop, hosted in partnership with Better Society Capital, brings together investor perspectives from both the UK and Sweden to explore the fundamentals of investing in social outcomes. Together, in this dynamic workshop, we’ll examine how social outcomes finance is evolving, what makes it attractive to mission-driven investors, and how to strengthen the ecosystem across borders.

The workshop is especially ideal for private sector actors, investors, philanthropies, and foundations – from those new to outcomes-based commissioning all the way to seasoned practitioners with insights to share.

Find a recording of the event here.

At SOC24, participants helped us take the first step: identifying what gets in the way of contracting for complex public services - and what might make it better. Building on those early insights, we convened a series of follow-on workshops with commissioners, lawyers, and practitioners to co-develop a prototype formal-relational contract model for public services.

Now, at SOC25, we’re coming full circle. This workshop will introduce the draft model, invite feedback, and road-test its core components. Together, we’ll explore how this approach might translate to other sectors and service areas, laying the groundwork for broader application and impact.

Find a recording of the event here.

Achieving impact at scale has long been the holy grail for those leading outcomes-focused partnerships. While the challenges are well-documented, recent practice suggests progress is being made partnerships are increasingly designed with scale and sustainability built in from the start, alongside a greater recognition that pathways to impact vary widely based on context.

There isn’t a single blueprint. Some approaches focus on expanding and mainstreaming these models, while others involve adoption of innovative service delivery models at the national level, new ways of working within local ecosystems of service, or a different approach to how central government works with local communities to balance accountability and flexibility. Regardless of the approach, accelerating progress requires collective learning, open dialogue and honest reflection on the barriers to scale.

This interactive session will bring together experienced researchers, delivery organisations, policymakers, and technical advisors, and intermediaries to explore different pathways for impact at scale in outcomes-based partnerships. We’ll blend research and practical insights to examine the strategies that different organisations have pursued to grow their impact. The discussion will kick off with real-world examples that showcase the diversity of approaches, before inviting participants to share their experiences and collaboratively sketch roadmaps to greater impact

This interactive session explores impact measurement as a management tool within social outcome projects. Through the presentation of selected contributions, we will discuss how impact measurement can create value by facilitating mutual learning among stakeholders, enhancing governance practices, and informing the design of interventions. The session offers a critical reflection on the strategic role of evaluation in advancing social outcome projects