Telent is at the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Meet the Buyer event, organised by the Department for Transport (DfT) in Birmingham, today.
Taking place on International Social Enterprise Day, the event is an integral part of the Social Economy Drive 2023, marking a celebration of social enterprise and social economic growth across the West Midlands.
Telent Responsible Procurement & Sustainability Manager Rhys Griffiths and his team are in attendance and available to speak more about Telent’s commitment to providing equal economic opportunities to suppliers, adding social value and positively impacting the communities Telent operates in.
VCSE engagement is a great opportunity to not only contribute to local economic growth, but also provide unique opportunities for people to engage with their communities, especially those from hard-to-reach backgrounds. Telent is delighted to be attending the event and hope to further diversify our supply chain in the sector
"Telent is committed to giving all UK organisations access to its economic opportunities.
In the fiscal year 2022/23, Telent invested over £181 million into Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), accounting for 67% of its suppliers. Telent’s strategy is to achieve maximum value on a whole-life basis throughout its supply chain creating added value for society and the economy, whilst minimising damage to the environment.
Telent is now looking to increase the share of trading VCSEs in its supply chain as part of its new “Buy Social” initiative. The Meet the Buyer event presents a unique opportunity to connect with VCSEs and provide key insight on how to become a sub-contractor in public sector contracts.
To provide opportunities for growth to non-trading VCSEs, Telent also offers free resources to improve local services and enable access to future funding. In November 2023, key projects were delivered for VCSEs in Solihull including free expert business and technical advice for Citizens Advice Solihull Borough and Cars Area Together. This was part of the 100 hours per year Telent’s Procurement team commits to for developing supplier capabilities and increasing social value in the areas it operates in.