Social Value in Procurement – At Barkers we believe that it is imperative to deliver significant, long-term value to our clients, but also to facilitate social value in the communities in which we live and work. We’re proud to be Social Enterprise UK members and are committed to delivering £2m in social value annually.
We do this through:
Previously a Special Constable with Lancashire Police, Matthew witnessed first-hand how individuals going through difficult times could quickly escalate into a mental health crisis situation if they didn’t have access to appropriate support networks. His observations of the particular difficulty for men to speak about their mental health challenges resonated, so when he heard about Mental Health Motorbike, which promotes awareness of mental health challenges within the motorbike community, he was keen to get involved. Matthew has been volunteering with Mental Health Motorbike for two years and shares his story.
Throughout his career, Dennis has benefited from coaching and guidance that has inspired and shaped his journey. A moment back in January 2022 sparked Dennis’ reflection on these experiences as he learnt about the ‘One Million Mentors’ programme and decided to explore further. In this interview we read more about his motivations and aspirations as he takes his first steps on the path of this inspirational scheme…
Social value and procurement are now intrinsically linked following the launch of a new social value model twelve months ago. Initiated on the 1st January 2021, and surpassing the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requirements, the law now requires public sector organisations to appraise suppliers to deliver services that enhance communities.
On the evening of 23 February 2021 Barkers Commercial Services were announced winners of the SME Leadership category at the annual Social Value Awards.
In their third year, the Social Value Awards highlight best practice from around the UK, showcasing how businesses embed social value into their culture and activities. The Awards form part of the National Social Value Conference, which is hosted by the National Social Value Taskforce and Social Value Portal. The conference brings together experts and practitioners from all sectors to share good practice and innovative ideas about how to embed social value into commissioning, procurement and delivery.
