{"id":4381,"date":"2022-12-01T09:01:30","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T09:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/public-procurement\/?p=4381"},"modified":"2022-12-01T09:02:51","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T09:02:51","slug":"supported-employment-changing-lives-and-adding-social-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/public-procurement\/2022\/12\/01\/supported-employment-changing-lives-and-adding-social-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Supported employment: changing lives and adding social value"},"content":{"rendered":"

This weekend, 3 December is celebrated around the world as the UN Day of Persons with Disabilities.<\/h3>\n

As part of the Sustainable Procurement Duty 2014<\/a>, contracting authorities must consider how their procurement processes can facilitate the involvement of supported businesses<\/strong> \u2013 as well as SMEs and third-sector organisations. Before buying anything, they must think about how they can improve the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of the area in which they operate, with a particular focus on reducing inequality.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In line with the 2014 Act, public bodies\u2019 annual procurement reports must include a summary of steps taken to facilitate the involvement of supported businesses in their procurement activities, and public bodies are increasingly providing this information.<\/p>\n

Supported Businesses make an important contribution to the Scottish economy.\u00a0 Not only through the goods and services they deliver, but also by providing meaningful employment, training, and social support for those who may otherwise be excluded from the workplace.<\/p>\n

We want to raise the profile of supported businesses in Scotland and have regular, meaningful engagement with BASE, the British Association for Supported Employment.<\/a><\/p>\n

Alistair Kerr, BASE Scotland<\/a> Chairman, recently spoke at our National Procurement Conference on 27 October 2022. That same evening, at the GO Awards Scotland, BASE received the \u2018Social Value Award\u2019 for their work in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service<\/a> and Morrison Construction<\/a> (MC) in delivering the Women\u2019s National Facility Project (\u201cHMP Stirling\u201d).<\/a><\/p>\n

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Left to right: Alistair Kerr, Chairman of BASE Scotland. Jim Johnstone, Head of Communities and Social Impact, Morrison Construction. Andy Door, Head of Procurement Scottish Prison Service.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Alistair Kerr tells us more about BASE Scotland\u2019s involvement in this project\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Women's<\/p>\n

BASE Scotland worked in partnership with Stirling Council, the third sector, Scottish Prison service and Morrison Construction to understand the local aspirations and devise community benefits as part of an overall project plan which would make a positive impact and leave a sustainable and measurable legacy for the community in which the prison estate will operate.<\/p>\n

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Morrison Construction proceeded to create the bespoke \u2018Supported Procurement Group\u2019. Inspired by the Scottish Government\u2019s Sustainable Procurement Duty Policy, the aims of the group include: –<\/p>\n