Page 8 - CareerBootCamp-Brochure2016
P. 8
Are you taking Nothing is more core to the business than its 2) Business drivers
your social supply chain. But how are we incorporating our
conscience social conscience in our work? Business drivers very much follow on from the strategic. Changing
to work? consumer behaviour and a new era of transparency means that
Procurement is seen as being a service provided to the rest of an credibility, trust and reputation are key. Businesses cannot afford
Charlie Wigglesworth organisation. It’s concerned with reducing cost, minimising risk, to deliver work that is skin deep or doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.
but is often seen as having little bearing on the wider strategic
Social Enterprise UK: £1 billion corporate direction of the business, or the relationship of the business to The Social Value Act in the UK (which my organisation was involved
social procurement program society. in driving through) is a piece of legislation that requires public
procurement to consider community value alongside quality and
“I believe there is a tremendous This perception is being fundamentally challenged. price when scoring bids. Supply chains are an excellent place for
personal satisfaction in doing work companies to demonstrate their commitment to deliver value to
that can change people’s lives, as well My organisation, Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) recently launched communities.
as deliver value for your organisation.” the Buy Social Corporate Challenge.
3) Personal drivers
Love this article? The aim is to spend £1 billion with social enterprises; businesses
Share with your contacts via Procurious! that explicitly trade for a social purpose. These organisations Personal drivers relate directly to procurement professionals
are delivering a whole range of services with profits benefitting themselves seeing the opportunity for procurement to take centre
society, such as software testing businesses employing people stage in helping their companies respond to the above drivers.
with autism, office supplies companies with profits going to fund
micro-finance, and logistics businesses working with the long- This work places procurement professionals at the heart of
term unemployed. corporate strategy, delivering work that no other part of the
business could do.
So, why are these businesses driving social enterprise? It comes
down to three things: What can you do to deliver on the promise?
1) Strategic drivers • Think how your supply chain can support your company’s social
objectives such as working with young people, or challenging
Strategic drivers largely revolve around the changing nature of stigma around mental health.
how business views its relationship with society. Post-financial
crisis, businesses and business leaders have focused on • N o-one is expecting you to be an expert on this. Work with
moving from traditional CSR (typified by being divorced from organisations, like SEUK, who have shared goals and objectives,
core business activities, reactive and largely non-strategic) to and get them to support you.
sustainable business or “CSR 2.0”.
• Work with CSR teams, senior leadership and internal
This places sustainability at the heart of the way in which the communications. You’ll soon find that the work will attract a lot
business operates. Nothing is more core to the business than its of positive interest.
supply chain.
As well as creating benefits for your organisation, there is also
tremendous personal satisfaction in how your work can change
people’s lives.
P6
