NWUPC Responsible Procurement Event --------- 25th February 2021

 
 
 
On Thursday 25th of February 2021, NWUPC held our first Virtual Responsible Procurement Event. With presenters from a wide and varied base of sustainability areas, it was a great day covering a lot of topics close to our Members. We were delighted with the response by our Members with over 75% of our membership represented throughout the day in addition to a number of colleagues from other consortia. We've had some great feedback about the event and it seems to have been not only a very informative day but thoroughly enjoyed by all. Below you can find recordings from each session held over the day with links to slides if provided. 
 
How Responsible Procurement Is Embedded Within The Service Provided To Members
NWUPC’s sustainability leads, Helen Dodd-Williams and Sarah Dye provided an overview of activity within the consortium and how responsible procurement is embedded within the service provided to Members. This included; addressing modern slavery within supply chains, SME support and engagement and environmental considerations. You can view the recording of the session below and find the slides from the presentation here.
 
 
How To Use Electronics Watch To Drive Social Responsibility In Your Procurement
Electronics Watch are an independent monitoring organisation set up with the purpose of protecting the rights of workers within supply chains. Their focus is on working with public sector organisations who purchase electronics and collaborating with them to have a positive impact on workers through the goods and public sector procures. Focussing on the Electronics Watch model and resources available to affiliates from tender planning to contract management, Bjorn Claeson (Director) and Harpreet Paul (UK Representative of Electronics Watch) discussed specific cases and reviewed their impact on working conditions in affiliates’ supply chains. You can view the recording of the session below and find the slides from the presentation here.
 
 
Embedding Social Value Into Progressive Procurement
Social Value Portal CEO Guy Battle gave a talk on The Public Services (Social Value) Act which requires all public sector buyers to consider social value into their buying decisions. This has been reinforced more recently by Procurement Policy Note 06/20 which requires a minimum 10% weighting in all procurements. During the session Guy looked at how this can be done and how the HE sector can deliver more value for all of its stakeholders. You can view the recording of the session below and find the slides from the presentation here.
 
 
Embedding Social Value Into The Commissioning And Procurement Cycle
Claire Watts (Regeneration & Funding Group Manager) of The Social Value Engine Team provided an overview on what social value is, where it comes from and how to embed social value into the commissioning and procurement cycle. This included a demonstration from Claire of the Social Value Engine and how it can be practically applied to help measure social value for you. You can view the recording of the session below and find the slides from the presentation here.
 
 
Planning And Pathway Tools For Decarbonisation Of Public Sector Estates
Dr John Hindley, Director at Twelvetrees Consulting, joined us at to discuss Planning And Pathway Tools For Decarbonisation of Public Sector Estates. Covering a quick journey through the buildings and energy landscape in the public sector North West region, with examples of tools and techniques which will help you plan for efficiency and intervention. With over 15 years practise in Higher Education Estates covering sustainability, management operations, revenue projects and capital development this was a fascinating session. You can view the recording of the session below and find the slides from the presentation here.
 
 
Responding To The Pandemic As An SME – Sharing Experiences
How an SME has turned the challenge of operating during a global pandemic into a business opportunity including reflections on ways of working and projects we think provide meaningful learning for procurement professionals. As part of NWUPC’s commitment to Sustainable Procurement, and to our Members in developing responsible supply chains, we work in partnership with NETpositive Futures. Sheri-Leigh Miles, Director at NETpositive Futures lead a session about how NETpositive Futures have used lockdown to rethink how they support their clients to engage and innovate in challenging times. This session included learning from projects relating to the Sustainable Development Goals, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Climate Action. You can view the recording of the session below and find the slides from the presentation here.
 
 
An Update On The Netpositive Futures Supplier Engagement Tool And Undertaking Sustainability Impact Assessments
Including new developments and innovative practice. As part of NWUPC’s commitment to Sustainable Procurement, and to our members in developing responsible supply chains, we work in partnership with NETpositive Futures. Jimmy Brannigan, Director at NETpositive Futures lead a session about how NETpositive Futures help suppliers to take practical action environmentally, socially and economically and how this supports excellent procurement. The session introduced the methodology which has been used to update the content of the Supplier Engagement tool content and demonstrate how when linked to the use of a sustainability impact assessment we can target sustainability and social value progress throughout the supply chain. You can view the recording of the session below.
 
 

Feedback from our Members

We asked the Members who attended how they would rate each session for the speakers knowledge and out of 5 if they felt the aims of the session were met. We received overwhelming feedback that all the presenters had excellent knowledge of their subjects and high marks for all sessions meeting their described purpose.