Liverpool City Council is inviting local businesses to participate in an interactive online webinar to help shape its new Sustainable Procurement Strategy. The event, scheduled for Monday, 22 September, from 10am to 11am, aims to gather feedback and inform companies on how to engage with the council's procurement process.
Key Takeaways
- Event: An interactive webinar on Liverpool's new Sustainable Procurement Strategy.
- Date and Time: Monday, 22 September, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
- Host: Liverpool City Council's Business Support Service and corporate procurement unit.
- Purpose: To gather views from local businesses and explain how the council can support them in winning public contracts.
- Audience: All businesses in the Liverpool City Region interested in working with the council.
Council Seeks Business Collaboration on New Strategy
Liverpool City Council is actively developing a new strategy focused on sustainable procurement. This initiative is designed to ensure that the council's purchasing decisions deliver positive environmental, social, and economic benefits for the city.
To ensure the strategy is effective and practical, the council is seeking direct input from the local business community. The upcoming webinar serves as a key consultation platform, allowing company owners and managers to share their perspectives.
The session will be jointly hosted by the city's Business Support Service and the corporate procurement unit. This collaboration highlights the council's dual focus: refining its internal processes while also providing tangible support to local enterprises looking to become suppliers.
Understanding Sustainable Procurement
Sustainable procurement goes beyond simply finding the lowest price for goods and services. It involves a holistic approach where purchasing decisions are based on a combination of factors that contribute to long-term community wellbeing.
This modern approach is often built on three core pillars:
- Environmental Impact: Prioritising suppliers that minimise waste, reduce carbon emissions, use renewable resources, and protect biodiversity.
- Social Value: Favouring businesses that support local employment, pay a fair wage, promote diversity and inclusion, and contribute to community projects.
- Economic Resilience: Strengthening the local economy by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), encouraging innovation, and ensuring public money is reinvested within the region.
What is Social Value?
The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requires public bodies to consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social, and environmental well-being of the area. Liverpool's new strategy is a direct application of this principle, aiming to maximise the positive impact of its annual spending.
An Opportunity for Liverpool's SMEs
For many local businesses, particularly SMEs, navigating public sector procurement can seem complex. This webinar is designed to demystify the process and highlight the opportunities available through the new sustainable framework.
By attending, businesses can gain a clearer understanding of the criteria the council will use when awarding contracts. This insight allows companies to better align their own practices and tenders with the council's objectives, increasing their chances of success.
The session will also provide a platform for businesses to voice challenges they face and suggest ways the council can improve its processes to be more accessible. This two-way dialogue is crucial for creating a procurement system that works for everyone.
Focus on Local Economy
Public sector procurement represents a significant portion of the economy. By directing more contracts towards local, sustainable suppliers, councils can play a powerful role in creating jobs, fostering skills, and building a more resilient regional economy. This strategy aims to keep more public spending circulating within Liverpool.
Webinar Details and How to Participate
The interactive webinar is a free, one-hour event open to all businesses in the Liverpool area. It is an opportunity to learn directly from the teams responsible for the city's purchasing decisions.
Key details for the event are:
- Event Title: Sustainable Procurement Strategy Business Webinar
- Date: Monday, 22 September
- Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
- Platform: Online (details provided upon registration)
Participants are encouraged to come prepared with questions and feedback. The interactive format is intended to foster a constructive conversation about how the council and local businesses can work together more effectively.
"This initiative represents a significant step towards embedding sustainability into the core operations of the city. Engaging with our local business community is not just a consultation exercise; it is a fundamental part of building a partnership for a greener and more equitable Liverpool."
The Broader Impact on Liverpool
The development of a Sustainable Procurement Strategy aligns with Liverpool City Council's wider commitments to tackling climate change and reducing inequality. Every pound spent by the council has the potential to generate additional value for the community, and this strategy aims to harness that potential.
By prioritising suppliers with strong environmental credentials, the council can actively contribute to reducing the city's overall carbon footprint. Similarly, by focusing on social value, it can help address unemployment and support vulnerable communities.
Ultimately, this strategy is about using the council's significant purchasing power as a tool for positive change. The input from local businesses will be vital in ensuring the final policy is ambitious, achievable, and beneficial for the entire city. Businesses interested in attending the webinar can find more information and registration details on the Liverpool City Council website.