Value for money is a key objective for any contract. But these days, the concept of value is coming under greater scrutiny.
Local authorities operate under limited resources, so it makes sense to explore existing avenues for opportunities, or to include social value in tenders. Added to this, the Public Services (Social Value) Act requires all public sector organisations and suppliers to consider ways to improve the wellbeing of their area and residents.
The waste management sector provides a rich seam of opportunity for improvements to communities. Businesses with a wide range of resources, like Valpak, can provide funding or offer specific skills and expertise to support charities or local authority campaigns. For example, our social media campaigns have helped councils to increase the volume of small WEEE collected while, through our partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council, we have funded school workshops to raise awareness about the importance of recycling electronic equipment.
While these initiatives impact environmental aims, we also have the power to contribute to the wellbeing of local communities and residents. This is especially true of the UK’s more deprived areas.
In Gateshead, around 32,700 – 16% – of people live in the top 10% of most deprived areas of England. Gateshead and large parts of the North East have long histories of reliance on heavy industries such as coal mining, shipbuilding, and heavy engineering, with many jobs lost during previous decades, and recycling sectors, such as WEEE reprocessing, see a lower number and quality of items discarded or sent for reuse than in more affluent regions.
Valpak's NEPO (North East Procurement Organisation) contract for WEEE partners with the GAP Group North East’s WEEE recycling plant to achieve our social value objectives. GAP provides one of the highest standards of fridge recycling in the world and, as part of Valpak's commitment to social value, it employs and retains staff who live in the North East. As a direct result of our contract, GAP has employed a total of 12 people working full time.
Currently, GAP employs two full-time apprentices at their North East site, who are learning organisational skills, data management, reporting and sales skills.
As well as building an affinity with the challenges and opportunities faced by local government in the region, the apprentices also live and study in the region, which helps to keep resources and value in the area. However, the greater value can be seen in the endorsement of the young people, who are both growing in confidence and benefiting from the chance to live independently from their parents.
The apprentices report that the work is challenging, but supportive, with unexpected opportunities at such an early stage. Feedback includes:
“This has helped me build confidence, develop valuable skills, and grow both personally and professionally, laying a strong foundation for my future career.”
