Improving Social Outcomes in Urban Development:
A Playbook for Practitioners
As global risks around social cohesion, cost of living, and climate resilience grow, it is critical for large-scale urban development projects to address the complex social challenges of the 21st century. But despite having good intentions, most contemporary development policies and regulations do not fully address these challenges, nor do they achieve community aspirations including resilience, well-being and cultural cohesion.
Large-scale development projects take many years and involve multiple stakeholders. Their complexity poses systemic barriers to delivering social value, defined as the cumulative benefit of social impacts from the built environment to individuals, communities and businesses.
The Social Value Playbook – developed by Avison Young in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and its partners and stakeholders – identifies six principles to drive systems change and create social value as part of urban development.
Social Value Task Force and Contributors
We would like to thank the members of the Social Value in Regeneration Taskforce, as well as the generous time and insights offered by key contributors included below.
Task Force Leads:
Adair Smith, Lead, Centre for Urban Transformation, World Economic Forum
Eime Tobari, Global Director, Social Impact, Avison Young; World Economic Forum Project Fellow
Emily Ives, Global Research Coordinator, Avison Young; World Economic Forum Project Fellow
Member and Contributors:
Jonny Anstead, Founding Director, TOWN
Peter Biava, Sustainable Infrastructure Development and Investment Associate, Meridiam
Kwame Botchway, Community Champion, US Midwest, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
Aref Boualwan, Chief Initiatives & Startups Officer, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC)
Carolina Correia, Senior Social Value Manager, Related Argent
Hazem Galal, Global Leader, Cities and Local Government, PwC
Vic Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO
Mohamed Hagras, Urban Planner, UN Habitat
Rochelle Haynes, Managing Director, What Works Cities
Michael Hogan, Associate, Global ESG, Hines
Allie Janos, Principal, Place Insights
Suzy Jones, Director of the Future, Urban Splash
Saji Khoury, Business Development Manager, Consolidated Contractors Company
Pelin Kihtir, Sustainability and Stakeholder Relations, Koç Holding
Eloisa Klementich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Invest Atlanta
Anna Kulik, Global Impact and ESG Innovation Strategic Advisory
Michael Lake, President & CEO, Leading Cities
Sonny Masero, Managing Director, Global ESG, Hines
Chris Osgood, Senior Infrastructure Advisor, City of Boston
Pamela Paul, Head of Social Value, AtkinsRéalis
Gerard Peets, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities of Canada
Mariana Saraiva de Melo Pinheiro, Urban Planner, UN Habitat
Tom Renhard, Councillor, Bristol City Council
Kate Sandle, Director of Sustainability, Newcore Capital Management
Patrick Seeb, Executive Director, Destination Medical Center
Larry Smallwood, Federal Infrastructure Implementation Manager, City of Phoenix
Eric Smith, Vice-President, Business Strategy, Bedrock Management Services
Florijn Vriend, Head of Well-being & Social Impact, EDGE