Commissioning & Procurement for Growth
Quantifying Social Impact in Business and Public Services
Tuesday 27th March 2018 | Mary Ward House Conference & Exhibition Centre | London | WC1H 9SN
Commissioning and procurement disciplines are at the centre of a new business model rising inside companies, councils and key “anchor” public organisations. How to make economic, business and procurement decisions not only by its price, but by its social impact and social value.
The Social Value Act of 2012 has set in motion a step change in decision making by major businesses and public bodies, especially the anchor institutions of local government and universities.
“Millions, soon to be Billions of pounds of public and corporate spending will be directed by new financial benchmarks and social impact objectives”
Social impact is no longer an area to be pigeon-holed as the responsibility of social enterprise any more than the recognition in international development 30 years ago that economic and social change in developing economics could be left to charity and voluntary organisations.
Companies, councils and public bodies need to ensure that their commissioning and procurement strategy includes a commitment to inclusion, quantifying the social value and social impact of decisions to create more inclusive growth and reverse the disconnect and unintended consequences of some of the past three decades of narrow procurement.
It is now recognised that simply opting for the lowest price can lead to the hollowing out of local communities, businesses and skills capacity. This approach is not holistic in outlook and often lacks inclusion growth measures, leading to adverse long term social impacts.
The UK Economy is a mix of 5 million companies and thousands of public bodies many large, key local employers and purchasers.
