Deep Dive 1.1 Achieving wider wellbeing through public procurement?

Theme: Procurement and Social Value

Deep Dive 1.1 Achieving wider wellbeing through public procurement?

Lecture Theatre I

We have pushed governments to buy more efficiently for decades. Now, facing enormous public crises, we also want our governments to use the purchasing power in public contracts to achieve wider economic, social, and environmental policy goals. Is public procurement ready for this important role? In this session we consider the promises and practical challenges associated with ‘sustainable public procurement’, ‘buying social’, ‘community benefit clauses’, ‘social value’, and similar movements around the world.

This session will include a short panel discussion on what government might do to enable Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to help achieve wider social and community benefit outcomes in public contracts.

Watch the recording of the session here.

Presentations

How can green public procurement be used as a catalyst to improve social outcomes? Reflections upon some European experiences

So far, Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) has been implemented mainly through environmental policies and a few labour policies in the social dimension.

With this paper, we intend to discuss whether …

From procurement to partnership: the role of social enterprises & voluntary sector organisations in improving the effectiveness of public services

Overview of the project or approach to be discussed in the presentation

Our presentation will cover:

Main reflections and insights from the work to date

Main reflections include:

- Health …

Priceless procurement: Process innovation - Evaluating non-financial social outcomes

In 2021, the UK became the first nation in the world to mandate the evaluation of Social Value in procurement at the central government level (PPN06/20); a policy further adopted …

Fostering innovation through social value in procurement in the healthcare sector: The National Health Service (NHS) way

The last couple of years have put unprecedented pressures on the healthcare systems due to COVID-19, a surge in ailments due to climate change, changing public behaviour, skill shortages and …

Social Value Lemonade? Transparency issues and suggestions in the law, policy, and practice of embedding wider economic, social, and environmental goals in public contracts.

This paper highlights transparency gaps in the growing use of public spending through contracts to achieve economic, social, or environmental policy goals in local areas. These goals are in addition …

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Deep Dive 1.1 Achieving wider wellbeing through public procurement?