Our contractor partners do some amazing things to deliver a social value plan across the breadth of the framework that leaves a lasting legacy with the individuals and communities we work in. Procure Partnerships Framework places Social Value at the heart of the business, collaboration between contractors is another value that is engrained in our daily operations. Every project procured through the Framework has its own Social Value Plan, 12% of a project’s construction value is directly reinvested into social value activities.
In the North West, 15 Procure Partnerships Framework contractor partners have supported the implementation of a collaborative Social Value programme which has been in effect since Procure Partnerships Framework came into being in 2018.
Working on a six-monthly basis, representatives from BAM, Kier, Wates, Cruden, Crossfield, Galliford Try, Whitfield and Brown, Willmott Dixon, Graham, McLaren, ISG, Casey, Laing O’Rourke, Morgan Sindall, Seddon, Interserve, and Henry Boot have supported Procure Partnerships framework to identify social value activities across the breadth of the framework which will bring lasting benefits to the communities that projects are being delivered in.
Below details work done since August 2019 and looks to the future events planned which will continue Procure Partnerships Framework’s commitment to delivering demonstrable Social Value well into 2020 and beyond.
Lara Da Rocha Faria, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Kier commented on the programme: “Procure Partnerships have built social value into the heart of its framework. In June 2019 the construction partners agreed a diary of events that we knew would truly deliver a positive social impact to communities across the North West. The activities identified took into consideration key aspect of social value; education, skills, community, volunteering and economic investment. Kier look forward to working collaboratively with our fellow framework partners, this coming year.
Collaborative careers event
ISG and Laing O’Rourke came together o October 17th to exhibit the career opportunities available in the built environment sector across the North West on behalf of Procure Partnerships Framework.
Neil Walker, Framework Director at ISG, commented on the event: “Encouraging young people to consider a career in construction, and sharing some of the fantastic opportunities that are available, is a real priority for us. We are committed to leaving a lasting legacy in the communities in which we work and events like this are a great way to do this. It’s also encouraging to see so many young people coming along themselves, putting their future in their own hands, and we hope it’s the beginning of an exciting journey for them.”
Whitechapel Centre Sleep Out
On Friday 11th October Procure Partnerships (North West) Framework contractor partners braved the elements and slept in self constructed shelters to raise much needed funds to support the Whitechapel Centre, Liverpool. The event itself raised £20,000 with Procure Partnerships Framework and partner organisations contributing a staggering £11,000 of that total.
The Whitechapel Centre is a leading homeless and housing charity for the Liverpool region. They work with people who are sleeping rough, living in hostels or struggling to manage their accommodation. They are committed to helping people to find and maintain a home and learn the life skills essential for independent living. In 2018-19 we worked with 4,323 people. Our projects reflect the diverse routes into & through homelessness. A variety of services, in different settings, complement each other and ensure no one slips through the net of support.
Conor Neild-Crabb, Marketing Manager at Procure Partnerships Framework, commented on the event: “We’re delighted to engage numerous contracting partners for such a great cause. We really saw the benefits of having our partners collaborate due to the substantial sum raised”.
FareShare Merseyside visit
On Friday 17th January BAM Construction coordinated an day at FareShare Merseyside’s Speke site which saw Crossfield, Cruden, Wates, Kier, and Procure Partnerships Framework spend the day supporting FareShare Merseyside. FareShare is a charity which is trying to relieve food poverty and reduce food waste in the UK. The charity saves tens of thousands of tonnes of good food from going to waste from the UK food industry by redistributing it over to tens of thousands of charities and community groups around the UK, which then turn it into meals for vulnerable people, in 2019 FareShare redistributed enough food for 46.5 million meals.
Representatives from Procure Partnerships Framework, Crossfield, Cruden, Wates, Kier spent the day learning about the important work the charity does and sorting and categorising food before then packing deliveries of meals for FareShare.
Faye Dolan, Key Account at Procure Partnerships Framework, commented on the event : “Fareshare is a fantastic charity which is effectively addressing the food shortage crisis, they take a hands on and proactive approach which makes sure that good food products are diverted from landfill and given to those who need it”.
Future events
In the coming months Procure Partnerships Framework and our contractor partners will continue supporting the communities we work in. The Social Value programme that we are leading on is due for review in the coming weeks with all stakeholders scheduled to meet in early February to plan activities which will benefit our communities from May to December 2020. The upcoming events include supporting Place2Be, which is a young people’s mental health charity, The Great British Spring Clean, and a number of Open Doors events across the schemes being delivered through the framework.
Robbie Blackhurst, Procure Partnerships Framework Director, added: “Our Social Value plan leads to collaboration between our contractor partners and allows us to support people and communities with worthwhile and quantifiable Social Value activities. Regularly bringing numerous contractors to the same room and identifying the best ways to implement our plan and identify future opportunities keeps all of the parties involved focused on making a lasting impact on our communities. We at Procure Partnerships Framework are proud to have a framework model which mandates that all contractor partners share our core values and support the communities they’re delivering schemes in and also work together under the Framework to share best practice”.
Nin Khoshaba, Education and Community Coordinator at Bam, added: “When Procure Partnerships Framework was first launched, a group of likeminded individuals from contractor partners collectively set out some Social Value objectives for the year, ranging from delivering a CPD workshop for college tutors to volunteering at FareShare and sleeping out to fundraise for a homeless charity. We all see the value in collaboration and how joining forces can help us achieve so much more for local communities than working independently“.
Faye Dolan, an esteemed professional and Framework Director at Procure Partnerships, boasts a rich and diverse career spanning seven years in the construction industry. Faye’s journey within Procure Partnerships began in 2018 as a Key Account Manager, initially overseeing the North West region and later extending her purview to the entire North.
