Amey has appointed two new suppliers, Office Depot and Ethstat Ethical Stationery C.I.C., to provide office products and services across the business. The whole procurement exercise was best practice in using Amey’s Social Value Supply Chain Charter, with weighting given to the social and environmental credentials of the two suppliers.
Amey’s Social Value Supply Chain Charter promises to work collaboratively with suppliers, in order to maximise opportunities for and invest in social enterprises, (such as Ethstat Ethical Stationery C.I.C), support its suppliers and reduce its carbon footprint. The collaboration with both Office Depot and Ethstat Ethical Stationery C.I.C sees a number of progressive changes, with social value in mind.
Partnering with Office Depot will see Amey moving from daily to weekly consolidated orders, creating huge environmental and carbon reduction benefits; saving the equivalent annual energy usage for 10 average UK homes. In addition, 66% of Amey’s spend on office products and services will now have green credentials. For instance, Amey will be switching to EcoPerformance paper, reducing wood usage by 32% and waste by 6%.
As part of this relationship, Amey will also be participating in the Office Depot’s ‘Eureka’ programme, which will see the infrastructure services provider engage with schools across the country, supporting young people to get involved in educational activities.
The partnership with Ethstat Ethical Stationery C.I.C demonstrates Amey’s support for social enterprises, outlined by the charter. By supplying offices with 100% Fair Trade tea and coffee, Amey will be supporting farmers with challenges caused by climate change and unpredictable incomes in coffee growing communities; and support areas impacted by lack of food resources.
Ethstat Ethical Stationery C.I.C are a social enterprise who invest their profits back into local communities. The profits made from this collaboration will enable them to:
- employ and provide full-time work for homeless people, ex-offenders and long-term unemployed workers. You can follow the impact the spend is having via https://beam.org/fundraisers/amey
- provide financial support and donations to dementia families; helping to support dementia families and carers with dementia dolls, music therapy, weighted blankets and donations, crucial particularly as the country continues to recover from COVID-19.
The new contracts promise exciting opportunities with huge social and environmental benefits to be gained. Amey is looking forward to a collaborative partnership with Office Depot and Ethstat Ethical Stationery C.I.C to implement and drive social change through this contract.