NATIONAL framework provider Pagabo has announced the 116 suppliers successfully appointed to its two new Professional Services frameworks covering Scotland and all remaining areas of the UK separately. Among the appointments are industry-leading names such as multi-disciplinary consultancies Rider Levett Bucknall, Turner & Townsend, Pick Everard and WSP. Meanwhile, there is a number of appointments, such as Hexa Consulting, Tetra Tech, Ridge and Stace, which have been awarded a spot for the first time. Clients will be able to access solutions covering the full spectrum of construction and premises consultancy services including project management, architecture, engineering, town and masterplanning, and strategy advice. The framework covering England, Wales and North Ireland is valued at £780m, while the new Scotland-specific framework is valued at £27m. Five suppliers have been appointed to the Scotland agreement, while 116 are included in the version for the other UK regions. Jason Stapley, chief procurement officer at Pagabo, said: “Professional services is our most popular framework offering so we were expecting a high level of quality bids for the new iteration – and we were not wrong. Now on its third instalment, this framework goes from strength to strength – continually demonstrating quick, simple and effective procurement possibility. “There is a perfect blend of continuation from the previous iteration alongside changes that address the needs of clients and suppliers. As a result, the opportunities offered to suppliers are very valuable and clients are provided with easy access to the best selection of suppliers in the consultancy industry. “There were more than 200 bids to be on multi-national framework, with just over half of those being successful in appointment. Only 33 organisations have been reappointed following the previous version of the framework, proving our sophisticated bid process ensures only the most suitable suppliers are appointed. Small and medium sized enterprises also make up 79% of the supplier list, which we’re very proud of as framework opportunities like this help to strengthen the pipeline of work for the business involved and ensures the best social value possible for communities.” This announcement comes following the earlier announcement of Lot 1 providers, seeing AtkinsRéalis appointed as the sole supplier for the UK agreement, and AtkinsRèalis and Turner & Townsend appointed jointly for Lot 1 for Scotland. The Education Alliance Trust remains as the contracting authority for the two new agreements. The frameworks will go live in early April, taking over from the current iteration on its expiry. For more information, please visit www.pagabo.co.uk Professional Services Framework (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) With no minimum or maximum project value restrictions, the framework provides simple, flexible and transparent access to carefully selected providers, split across 23 different lots and 7 regional areas. Either appoint a single national provider using Lot 1, or individually through Lots 2-23. The full list of suppliers includes: Professional Services Framework for Scotland With no minimum or maximum project value restrictions, the framework provides simple, flexible and transparent access to carefully selected Scottish providers, split across 4 different lots. Either appoint a single national provider using Lot 1, or individually through Lots 2-4. The full list of suppliers includes: Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

A new report has praised UK building and construction businesses for their investment in creative roles, with the sector featuring in a list of the top ten industries investing the most into creative teams, with just over 12 in 100 members of staff now working in creative roles. Analysing data from LinkedIn, the report from brand communications agency Warbox ranks the in-house creative headcount of ‘design’ roles across a number of UK companies in traditionally ‘less creative’ industries, compared to overall headcount, to find which sectors place the highest value on creativity within their workforce. The building and construction industry appeared sixth in the full list (12.291% of headcount) with the healthcare (17.87%), and homeware and interiors (11.12%) businesses completing the top three. Top 10 industries for creative hires Rank Industry Average creative headcount (%) 1 Healthcare 17.87 2 Building and Construction 12.29 3 Homeware and Interiors 11.12 4 Fashion 9.52 5 Manufacturing 8.15 6 Electronics 7.71 7 Energy and Utilities 6.23 8 Hospitality 4.56 9 Accounting and Finance 3.58 10 Food and Beverages 3.23 Boots, the health and beauty retailer, is an example of a brand that has heavily invested in creative talent. Boots launched its biggest ever campaign in 2023, ‘Our Health Is As Individual As We Are’, which championed women’s health, highlighting the support available for women through creative that was rolled out across TV, out-of-home, print, social media and online. Closely following the building and construction industry, homeware and interiors came in third place with 11.12 percent – perhaps unsurprisingly as this industry naturally places great importance on design and aesthetics.Out of the twenty industries analysed, transport and logistics and warehousing and distribution were revealed to have the lowest headcount of creatives in their workforce. This can be attributed to these industries having a greater need for functional labour roles – however, this is not to say that these industries would not benefit from a greater investment in creative roles to combat challenges that an ever-changing economy can present. Mark Fensom, director at Warbox, comments on the research: “It’s interesting to see which industries are placing a higher value on creative talent in 2024. Creativity fosters innovation, enabling businesses to adapt to evolving market demands and remain competitive which is key when it comes to running a successful business. “Even those industries with a perceived lack of need for creative roles, such as building and construction, could benefit greatly from hiring creative talent – it’s important for businesses to realise that creativity can unlock fresh perspectives and offer unique solutions to business challenges.” You can view the full research here: https://warboxcreative.co.uk/value-of-creative-roles-2024/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals