Highland Social Value Charter

About Highland Social Value Charter

In June 2024, the Highland Council agreed to establish a Social Value Charter for Renewables Investment, which sets out the community benefit expectations from developers wishing to invest in renewables in this area and what the Highland partnership – public, private and community – will do to support and enable this contribution.

The Highlands have rich resources that are ideally suited to encouraging and maximising renewables development. It is important though that local communities benefit from the use of our resources. This is an opportunity to secure inclusive growth and lasting benefits for all Highland communities.

The Charter’s aims are to:

Embed an approach to community wealth building in to Highland
Maximise economic benefits from our natural environment and resources
Engage and involve relevant stakeholders to understand how we can continually improve our impact
Unlock economic opportunities for the area

It is underpinned by partnership objectives within the Highland Outcome Improvement Plan and the Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Partnership.

Our Partnership wants to work with companies wishing to do business in Highlands to the benefit of all concerned and most importantly, the communities of the Highlands.

The Charter sets out a 9-point plan to:

1. Work with communities to encourage and empower them to maximise their own community benefit packages to deliver local and regional aspirations

2. Create a Strategic Fund and a Fund Partnership which will set out investment priorities for Highland communities

3. Create legacy housing to support sustainable communities

4. Support the development of the Highland Investment Plan projects

5. Develop shared ownership models of investment in renewables

6. Support skills and training initiatives

7. Provide a Highland Project Bank, identifying community projects and initiatives to secure additional investment

8. Fast-track for grid connections essential to growth

9. Maximising socio-economic prosperity through the planning system

Meet the Team

The Social Value Charter Team are part of the Highland Council’s Community Support and Engagement Team. Their role is to help local communities get the information, guidance, and confidence they need to engage with renewable energy developments in their area.

Their primary focus is to provide impartial advice, support, signposting, and guidance to community councils, community groups, and wider communities in response to the growing volume of renewable development activity across the region.

A key aspect of the work is to emphasise the importance of meaningful and inclusive engagement, ensuring that a diverse range of groups and individuals are brought together to share perspectives and insights, and that everyone within a community has the opportunity to have their voice heard. Additionally, the roles aim to support communities in maximising potential opportunities for their local area and the wider region by encouraging constructive dialogue with developers.