Billions of pounds are spent every year on services commissioned by public bodies. This money often goes directly into paying the wages of thousands of workers, often in low-paid sectors.
If put to the public good, procurement could generate £3.9bn for local commmunities. But too often, this report argues, public procurement pushes wages down rather than up goes for the cheapest option.
This can put businesses that, for example, pay the real Living Wage and have higher staffing costs at a disadvantage.
In this guide, Aspire present recommendations for good procurement, that helps to tackle poverty and build public good.
Key recommendations
The report calls on the UK government to:
- Issue a new National Policy Procurement Statement which highlights the mission of public good procurement and links key objectives to the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Require good working conditions as the default position for all public contracts irrespective of value.
- Require the Real Living Wage as the default position for all public contracts irrespective of value.
- Introduce a target for supported employment provision within procurement specifically to support Good Works mission-led organisations that support people into employment and within employment.
Read the full report for a full list of recommendations to the Government, as well as contracting authorities, commercial partners, and community bodies.