The Rail Social Value Tool (RSVT) has won the Corporate Social Responsibility category at the 2026 Spotlight Rail Awards, highlighting its growing role in helping the industry measure and enhance the wider value it delivers to society.
Developed collaboratively by RSSB, Loop, Network Rail and the Department for Transport, the tool provides a consistent, industry-wide approach to assessing social value across rail projects, programmes and operations.
The award reflects not only the tool’s development, but also its early adoption across the sector. Evidence submitted as part of the nomination included contributions from organisations such as Govia Thameslink Railway, Avanti West Coast, Transport for Wales, Siemens Mobility and Network Rail, demonstrating how RSVT is already being used to inform decision-making and improve outcomes for communities.
Sian Lloyd, Head of Sustainability at Siemens Mobility UK & Ireland, said:
“We are proud to have contributed to the development of the Rail Social Value Tool and to see it recognised with this award. At Siemens Mobility, delivering lasting value for communities is at the heart of everything we do. This tool gives us a clear, evidence-based framework to measure and strengthen the positive impact our projects are having across Britain.
“Its rail-specific focus and growing adoption make it a vital step towards a more consistent and credible approach to measuring social value across our industry.“
A consistent approach to social value
The RSVT is designed to help organisations quantify the broader benefits of rail investment, including impacts on community wellbeing, economic opportunity and environmental outcomes.
As social value becomes a more central consideration in public investment and rail strategy, the tool is enabling the industry to move beyond narrative and towards evidence-based assessment.
Tom Hall, RSSB’s Social Sustainability Principal, said: “Winning this award is a powerful recognition of what can be achieved when the rail industry comes together with a shared purpose. It shows what’s possible when we align our expertise and ambition.
“As the industry moves towards the transition to Great British Railways, there is a significant opportunity to place social value at the heart of how rail is planned, invested in and delivered.
“The RSVT provides exactly the kind of consistent, whole industry approach needed to embed social value into future frameworks, ensuring that decisions made under GBR can maximise benefits for passengers, communities and the wider economy.
“This award underlines the importance of that work, and the collective effort driving it forward.“
Growing adoption across the industry
The tool is already gaining traction, with around 40 organisations actively using RSVT, spanning government bodies, operators, infrastructure organisations, suppliers and community groups.
Its reach extends further through the supply chain. Network Rail alone has 350 users from more than 40 companies regularly inputting data into the system, signalling a broader shift towards embedding social value into everyday rail delivery.
As the industry moves towards a more integrated model under Great British Railways, the RSVT is expected to play an increasingly important role in ensuring investment decisions reflect not just operational performance, but the full value rail brings to society.
