Procurement is an essential function within any business, but it can only be as good as its network of suppliers. Our suppliers are a key component in helping us achieve our mission.
These pages provide you with details about our procurement team, how they operate and opportunities for working with us.
Organisation
To ensure segregation of powers, procurement authority is delegated by the directorate to the group procurement manager via the finance director. The group procurement manager who reports to the head of shared services, in turn, delegates certain responsibilities to the procurement team and other members of our shared services team.
Procurement strategy
The proposed five strategic procurement objectives are to:
- efficiently identify best practice, manage risk, and comply with all relevant laws
- ensure probity, professionalism and competence of all involved in the procurement process
- ensure equality of treatment of vendors, avoiding bias and favouritism, and develop effective and efficient vendor relationships
- provide solutions that are effective, flexible but robust, sustainable, transparent, and that enhance our financial security and reputation
- maximise our group procurement power and achieve continuous improvement in value for money terms.
Procurement statement of principles
These objectives will be underpinned by these 10 guiding principles. We will:
- ensure that all commitments for goods, services and works, with the exception of specific documented cases, are made to our supply chain by means of an official purchase order, approved in accordance with our delegated authorities list
- develop Group Procurement Contracts (GPCs), on a national and, where appropriate, regional basis, for the supply of works, goods and services in common use within the organisation or, where legal and advantageous, to adopt collaborative arrangements established by others
- ensure that GPCs are developed in line with best procurement practice and relevant legislation, and that they are fully utilised on the basis that the collective benefit of the organisation as a whole is paramount, recognising that this may on occasion be perceived as disadvantaging some local sites
- ensure that, wherever possible and practical, all other expenditure is submitted to competitive tender and that all contracts are awarded to vendors that provide best overall value
- utilise robust and practical contract conditions and exercise sound commercial and performance management thereof, applying best practice that contributes to our efficiency and effectiveness
- maintain auditable, transparent and fair processes that are efficient, enable the assessment and management of risk and value, and that support our sustainability targets and code of ethics
- take a long-term and strategic approach to procurement, with a commitment to continued collaboration and partnering where beneficial, fostering mutually beneficial contractual relationships
- develop the skills and provide support for staff involved in all stages of the procurement process, maintaining a centre of excellence via our procurement team
- encourage and enable two-way communication and feedback on our performance and that of our supply chain
- ensure that all exceptions to this standard are justified and authorised in accordance with our delegated authorities list.
Sustainability policy
Sustainability is not only one of our key organisational objectives, but also an integral part of our procurement activity.
Timber or timber products must be procured in accordance with the appropriate standards in order to ensure we meets our sustainability objectives.
Our procurement policy pays due regard to sustainability issues and we see this as an integral part of securing best value for money. Details of any sustainability requirements that suppliers need to be aware of will always be included in the Invitation to Tender documents.
