Industry-leading procurement platform Constructionline has partnered with Supply Change to support social value procurement and boost the use of social enterprises in the construction sector. From today, qualifying social enterprises (businesses that reinvest or donate their profits to create positive social change) can get free Constructionline Supplier Membership and SSIP accreditation from Acclaim Accreditation.

By boosting social enterprises’ use in procurement, the partnership between Constructionline and Supply Change will help further increase social value in the supply chain. Social enterprises have a positive impact on society through many ways, such as employing those that face barriers to work, championing more environmentally friendly practices or donating profits to charity. Constructionline buyers and suppliers will benefit from being able to achieve this positive impact through a simpler route to social value procurement.

The partnership follows the recent launch of Constructionline’s social value question set and is part of the platform’s wider drive to firmly put social value on the agenda for all procurement across the construction sector. 

Supply Change, which works to make procurement easier, faster and more impactful for businesses, will help to verify businesses’ eligibility to receive this support from Constructionline. By registering for free on the Constructionline platform, social enterprises can then prove to buyers that they meet stringent industry standards, including PAS91 and the Common Assessment Standard, allowing them to be easily identified for new business opportunities.

Robert Walton, Chief Operating Officer at Constructionline, commented: “With the construction sector accounting for around 6% of GDP in the UK, there’s huge scope for the industry to make real change to local communities through social value. Working with social enterprises where possible is a key way to achieve this, and I’m proud that through our partnership with Supply Change, we can help to make a difference. We’re committed to supporting social value and, through this partnership and our dedicated question set, I’m really looking forward to seeing the growth of social value procurement on our platform this year.”

Proving social value is key across both the public and private sectors. In the public sector, the government introduced the Social Value Model in January 2021, and social value now accounts for at least 10% of a supplier’s score when it comes to central government bid evaluations under PPN 06/20. In the private sector, social value is gaining prominence as organisations strive to support the communities in which they work, and this is only set to grow.

Aoise Keogan-Nooshabadi, co-founder of Supply Change, added: “Social value in procurement has never been more important. Studies show that engaging with social businesses makes commercial sense and the introduction of the Social Value Model makes it even more valuable. The increased need to give back to our communities and our climate has put social procurement high on the agenda. Despite this, quality is still paramount. Our partnership with Constructionline, to give accreditation to social enterprise suppliers, will break down barriers for suppliers who create a huge amount of impact but also deliver high-quality work.”

As one of the social enterprises set to benefit from the Constructionline and Supply Change partnership, Amie Grice, business development at Argonaut Enterprises, explained: “The Constructionline accreditations are very important to any company but, for a small social enterprise, gaining and keeping this accreditation is vital to maintain and/or expand. The partnership between Constructionline and Supply Change enabling the free membership has taken some pressure off us, and the funds can be used to help support staff and keep making a difference. As an SME and social enterprise, these partnerships make a huge difference.”

Constructionline and Supply Change are hosting a webinar to launch the partnership on Tuesday 1st February at 3pm. To find out more and have your questions answered by the procurement experts, register for your place  at www.constructionline.co.uk/events/social-enterprise/ 

To find out more and to register for free Constructionline Supplier membership and SSIP accreditation from Acclaim Accreditation, visit www.constructionline.co.uk/products-services/social-enterprise/

For more information on Supply Change visit www.supplychange.co.uk