Responsible Business

IN THE WORKPLACE

Kelly McNair, customer operations manager at Bruntwood Works, Liverpool

Businesses are increasingly focussed on operating in a responsible way for the benefit of their staff, customers and the wider community. This ambition can be perceived in multiple ways, from an inclusive and flexible working culture to a commitment to health and wellbeing.

As we hopefully emerge from the worst effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a clear movement towards greater adoption of hybrid working, whereby employees and business owners choose to split their working week between home and their workplace.

While national UK trends suggest that staff at larger multinationals are continuing to work from home more often, here in Liverpool the buoyant SME community is more minded to adopt this hybrid model.

Many staff and employers at smaller firms want to be in the same room as their colleagues to allow sharing of ideas, collaboration and training for junior team members. They also want the freedom to meet clients or network with peers in more relaxed social settings.

At Bruntwood Works, we work hard to create spaces that blend professional and lifestyle needs, whilst building opportunities for our customers to interact and create meaningful, vibrant communities.

Our multimillion-pound Pioneer development at The Plaza is now almost complete and has transformed the space with a new restaurant and bar, communal lounge, fitness suite, shower facilities, gym and bike storage - creating a work address like no other in Liverpool.

We see the innovation running through this design as the future of modern-working, combining our full range of workspaces with unique events and an independent brand, Graffiti Spirits Group, operating an exciting leisure destination.

This makes it an ideal location for businesses welcoming the advent of hybrid working: a city centre environment where culture, amenity and wellbeing are paramount.

As a responsible employer, it is great to see businesses focussing on these aspects and we will continue to do all we can to support our customers by providing innovate, collaborate spaces to enjoy.

INCLUDING SOCIAL VALUE IN

PROCUREMENT CHANGES LIVES

Leading procurement consultancy, 2buy2, is living up to their strapline, ‘purpose driven, not profit’, with their newly formed PSBO. Their mission is to include social value into procurement to improve the lives of people in poverty around the UK.

What is a PSBO?

A Public Sector Buying Organisation (PSBO) is a governing body that focuses wholly on delivering top quality procurement as well as the best supply chain services.

2buy2’s PSBO, Education Buying Group Ltd, brings compliant procurement solutions to education and other organisations. Rob Kissick, founder of 2buy2 said “The PSBO focuses on generating savings, encouraging the inclusion of social value into bids by suppliers and creating opportunities to deliver efficiency and expertise for educational establishments without a procurement team.”

Claire Easun, EBG Director says, “It was important to us to create a PSBO that is not-for-profit, with surplus funds getting passed back into education as a grant. Profit margins are not the goal, savings are.”

How does social value in procurement change lives?

Though it is not a legal requirement to include social value criteria in tenders, the public sector is encouraged to use procurement to achieve wider financial and non-financial outcomes, including improving wellbeing, communities and the environment by making social value a decision-making criterion when awarding contracts.

The PSBO has several frameworks that have a very real social value benefit to schools and the communities they serve. When a school signs a new contract, they can ask prospective suppliers to consider what they would be able to offer in support of the local community; a very real example of this is with a catering supplier 2buy2 recently worked with. They ensured 95% of all cooks completed an apprenticeship so they are paid the Living Wage. There are many families living in poverty, lots have free school meals. This social value initiative has proven to greatly help children in the community.

2buy2 works with organisations to get the most out of their procurement, including adding social value to their tenders. For more information on good procurement, email Geraint.williams@2buy2.com or visit 2buy2.com.