Supply Chain Management
This theme seeks to assess if we procure responsibly.
At Great Places, social value delivered through our supply chain remains an important part of how we support customers and communities. As well as development activity, suppliers working across our wider frameworks contribute funding, time and specialist expertise. These contributions are brought together through a central social value pot, overseen by our Community Partnership Managers so support can be targeted where it will have the greatest impact.
During 2025/26, the Assets Framework generated £202,243.32 in direct social value funding through its 2% levy. £100,000 of this was invested in House to Home, a flagship programme delivered with the Furniture Resource Centre that helps customers settle into a safe, stable home by providing essential furniture, white goods and household items. Over the year, 227 customers were supported, with an average support value of £441 per household, including people fleeing domestic abuse, those moving on from homelessness and households facing multiple vulnerabilities.
Smaller frameworks also continue to make a meaningful contribution. During the year, around £50,000 from specialist and lower-volume frameworks was reinvested into projects focused on early years development, employment, wellbeing and crisis support. This included support for Baby Boogies, an early years programme delivered by SPARK Oldham; a fully funded Door Supervisor and First Aid training programme in Oldham through SAFE and EDU Training Centre; emergency flooring support for a customer fleeing domestic abuse through Sustainable Flooring; and skills training funded by Ultra Cleaning Services to help unemployed customers build confidence and explore new income opportunities.
These examples show how supplier partnerships can go beyond contractual delivery to respond to crisis, create opportunity and strengthen communities. By combining financial contributions with practical support and local insight, our supply chain is helping us deliver social value that is not only measurable, but also felt by customers in meaningful and immediate ways.
These activities demonstrate how procurement supports wider organisational objectives beyond contract delivery.
Our Community Investment Team leads the delivery of social value, working in partnership with suppliers to achieve outcomes that reflect local needs.
Over the past year, our social value achievements from our Innovation Chain North framework have included:
Recent stories on the Great Places website also show how supply chain partnerships and community investment are creating practical opportunities for customers and communities. In April 2026, Sophia’s story highlighted the impact of Wybourn Works and its partnership with MPCT, a military training academy supporting young people aged 16 and over to develop fitness, vocational qualifications and employability skills. Sophia first came to Wybourn Works on her GCSE results day with an interest in the armed forces and mental health, but low confidence in her maths and English, fitness and people skills. Through holistic support from the Wybourn Works team, including help during a challenging period of homelessness and links into MPCT, she was supported to build confidence and take positive steps towards her future.
In November 2025, Great Places shared progress from its Training and Skills Academy, which is helping customers gain accredited qualifications such as Level 2 Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools and Level 3 Education and Training. Delivered in-house, the programme gives customers practical skills, recognised qualifications and a clearer route into employment, demonstrating how social value can build longterm resilience as well as immediate opportunity.
More recently, in March 2026, Great Places and SAFE Group announced a £10,000 social value contribution to support House to Home and Household Assistance, helping new tenants access essential white goods and providing food and fuel vouchers for customers facing hardship. The partnership also includes volunteering support to improve community spaces, showing how supply chain relationships can combine funding, practical help and local engagement to deliver meaningful benefits beyond the core contract.
Socially responsible resourcing
At Great Places, procurement plays a central role in delivering our environmental, social and governance objectives. We recognise that the way we source goods, works and services directly influences not only value for money, but also the wider impact we have on customers, communities and the environment.
Our Procurement Strategy 2024–2027 sets out a clear commitment to developing a sustainable supply chain that delivers positive economic, social, ethical and environmental outcomes. This approach is embedded across our procurement lifecycle, from supplier selection through to contract management and performance monitoring.
We take a socially responsible approach to sourcing by:
- Embedding social value into procurement decisions: All significant procurements include a dedicated social value weighting, ensuring suppliers contribute to outcomes such as employment opportunities, skills development and community investment.
- Supporting local economies and inclusive supply chains: We prioritise the development of local supply chains and actively work to reduce barriers for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. This helps ensure that our investment creates opportunities within the communities we serve.
- Promoting fair and ethical employment practices: We require suppliers to align with key ethical standards, including compliance with the Real Living Wage and measures to minimise the risk of modern slavery within the supply chain.
- Managing supply chain risk and compliance: Our procurement processes include a comprehensive suite of supplier obligations covering areas such as safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and professional standards. These are supported by ongoing monitoring through our contract management framework.
- Driving supplier performance and accountability: We are strengthening our contract management approach to provide greater visibility of supplier performance, including the development of consistent KPIs and centralised reporting. This enables us to hold suppliers to account and ensure delivery aligns with our organisational priorities.
Environmental sustainability is an increasingly important part of our sourcing approach. One of our core social value objectives is to reduce the environmental impact of our supply chain, including its carbon footprint. While we have made strong progress in embedding social value, we recognise that our approach to environmental sustainability in procurement is less mature.
To address this, we are:
- Reviewing how environmental criteria are embedded within procurement processes and specifications
- Strengthening engagement with our supply chain to improve environmental data and transparency
- Developing a more consistent and joined-up approach to sustainable sourcing across the organisation
This work is being taken forward through our Sustainability Strategy and internal governance arrangements, including our Sustainability Working Group.
Through this approach, we aim to use procurement as a strategic lever to deliver long-term social, economic and environmental value for our customers and communities.
Case study - Michael's Journey
When Michael joined Wilkinson Cowan Partnership as a Business Administration Apprentice, he was looking for an opportunity that would allow him to gain real-world experience while continuing to develop professionally in a supportive environment.
Michael’s apprenticeship was procured through the ICN Framework, providing him with a structured route into the industry while allowing him to gain hands-on experience alongside recognised qualifications. The opportunity has helped him develop both professionally and personally, giving him direct exposure to a real working environment while building a strong foundation for his future career.
He was recruited via Great Places Housing Group, who advertised the position internally to residents. This gave Michael access to an opportunity within his own community that he may not otherwise have been aware of, making the route into the industry feel far more accessible and achievable.
Rather than taking the traditional university route, Michael was drawn to the practical nature of an apprenticeship and the chance to learn directly within a working business.
Since starting his apprenticeship, Michael has become involved in a wide range of day-to-day business operations. His role includes supporting office administration, organising documentation, handling correspondence and assisting with financial administration tasks such as invoice processing, expense tracking and cash flow support.
One of the projects Michael is most proud of so far has been compiling and developing a cost database for the Quantity Surveying team. Being trusted to manage a task that supports the wider business helped build his confidence and demonstrated the importance of accuracy, organisation and attention to detail within a consultancy environment.
Over the course of the apprenticeship, Michael has developed strong communication, organisational and time management skills, alongside growing in confidence professionally. One of the biggest milestones for him was independently attending the Master Your Networking Game 2.0 event in Liverpool. The experience pushed him outside of his comfort zone and helped him build confidence in professional networking, communication and relationship building.
Reflecting on his experience so far, Michael says the support from colleagues has played a huge role in his development. Learning from experienced team members, particularly those who have followed similar career paths themselves, has helped reassure him that growth takes time and that asking questions is an important part of learning.
Michael’s journey so far highlights the positive impact apprenticeships can have when businesses, frameworks and housing organisations work together to create accessible career opportunities. Through the support of the ICN Framework, Great Places and Wilkinson Cowan Partnership, he has been able to gain practical experience, develop transferable skills and begin building a long-term career within the industry.
Case study courtesy of Wilkinson Cowan Partnership
