Telent generates £80m of Local Community Impact

As a values-based organisation committed to managing its overall impact on society, Telent creates a sustainable, inclusive, and positive effect through the way it manages its operations. This includes giving equal economic opportunities to suppliers of all types and sizes who share Telent’s goal of delivering high-quality, critical communications solutions. By doing this, Telent brings together the best technology and expertise the market has to offer to deliver maximum value to customers.

By maximising social return on investment (SROI) for customers through inclusive procurement practices and building partnerships with a diverse range of businesses, Telent has created significant community benefits. In FY23/24, Telent spent over £280m with UK businesses, of which 56 per cent was with Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs). According to the National Social Value Taskforce, the economic impact of this expenditure is valued at £80m*.

Telent's diverse supply chain spans all UK regions, driving innovation and contributing to the prosperity of local economies, with an average regional impact of £6.6m. This valuation is based on the positive economic effect local spending generates through jobs, higher pay, increased economic activity, business building opportunities, and more tax revenue for the government, all leading to better living standards for communities nationwide.

Telent’s regional presence also allows for stronger engagement with local communities and better social outcomes for people from hard-to-reach backgrounds, aligning with Telent’s equality, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I) commitments.

Despite their potential for job creation, economic development, and innovation, MSMEs are often marginalised by public sector procurement processes. To ensure alignment with Telent and customer goals, Telent’s Procurement team is dedicated to giving all UK businesses access to its economic opportunities, guided by the principles of fair share, fair payment, and fair terms. In FY23/24, Telent spent £156m with over 1,000 MSME suppliers, which accounted for 56 per cent of its UK supplier spend.

Telent also collaborates, partners, and invests in its suppliers to help them become more successful and sustainable, with the Procurement team committing at least 100 hours of their resources per year to building supplier capabilities. All MSME partners are offered a range of development resources, including training materials, guidance, practical support, and the opportunity to share best practices.

Regular interactive supplier webinars are also held to facilitate peer collaboration on topics including ED&I, Carbon Management, Strategic Labour Needs and Training (SLNT), GDPR, Modern Slavery Prevention, STEM Education, and Quality and Environmental Management Systems.

Through its ‘Supply Chain Social Value Strategy’, Telent also provides opportunities for growth to voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) by offering free business resources to improve local services and enable access to future funding. This can significantly enhance operational efficiency and overall impact.

Voluntary organisations have immense potential for growth and employment for people from hard-to-reach backgrounds, but often operate on limited resources. Expert guidance in areas such as ICT, strategic planning, financial management and organisational development can prove invaluable to achieving their social purpose. Throughout the year, Telent assisted several VCSEs including Solihull Citizens Advice and Cars Area Together by providing its expertise.

Telent also takes responsibility for the sustainability performance of its suppliers and has committed to reducing the intensity of its supply chain carbon emissions by 55 per cent no later than 2030.

Through supplier collaboration, Telent has reduced the intensity of its supply chain emissions by 28 per cent since 2020, on the path to net zero and is currently collaborating with several suppliers on ‘Green Solutions’ to increase the environmental value of Telent’s services.

Read our latest MSME Engagement Pack.

Social Value is an umbrella term used to describe the added benefit created in the delivery of a contract, which has a wider community or public benefit. This includes improvements in the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing the project can bring for local individuals, communities, and society.

It extends beyond the value delivered by the primary contract activity to wider intangible, non-financial benefits. This can be the community as a whole, disadvantaged individuals, minorities, local businesses and VCSEs, as well as the environment.

There are many positive social value outcomes, including employing local people, hiring apprentices, awarding contracts to local suppliers, supporting community projects, and providing colleagues to volunteer for worthy causes. There are diverse ways for organisations to measure and report the benefit of these outcomes, with the National Themes, Outcomes and Measurement (TOMs) Framework being the most widely recognised.

Each measure has a ‘proxy value’ to assess its impact by applying a theoretical financial benefit to the local community. Some of these values are localised by region and industry, for example within the Growth theme, every £1 spent with a local supplier in Warwick generates £0.31 of economic benefits, based on the positive economic impact local spending generates for communities through retaining local income. This leads to increased jobs, higher pay, and more tax revenue for government, resulting in better living standards.