Reflections from the 10th EMES International Research Network Conference
On Tuesday 9 December, the Sydjylland Living Lab held a hands-on workshop on social impact measurement, bringing together local stakeholders as part of the ASSETS project. The session demonstrated how collaboration between research, practice, and local ecosystems can strengthen the way social value is defined and measured.
Participants included representatives from the local municipality, social economy organisations, local business networks, Huset Venture, and Kolding School of Design. This diversity of perspectives enabled a focused discussion on how social value can be clearly articulated and how social impact can be measured in ways that are both meaningful and workable in practice.
Researchers from Roskilde University presented two practical approaches to understanding social impact. One focused on identifying the value created by social initiatives, while the other examined impact through relationships, highlighting how people and organisations are connected within local ecosystems. These approaches offered participants adaptable frameworks applicable across different organisational contexts.
Huset Venture complemented the research perspective by sharing hands-on experience from their day-to-day work with social impact measurement. Their contribution grounded the discussion in real operational challenges and illustrated how impact data can support decision-making and continuous improvement.
The workshop provided a clear example of the ASSETS project in action, showing how research-based insights and practical experience can be combined to build local capacity and support evidence-based approaches to strengthening social impact.
