Procure Plus, a Manchester-based business established by housing associations, specializes in providing procurement services and advice to the social housing sector. In the 2023-24 financial year, Procure Plus supported 744 individuals into sustainable employment, with an impressive 89% of them maintaining their jobs for at least three months. This social value activity has previously earned Procure Plus the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
Operating on a not-for-profit basis, Procure Plus uses the surpluses generated from its procurement business to train and develop people, working with local communities. In the 2023-24 financial year, spending through its services reached £208m, a significant increase from the previous year.
Procure Plus also provided £663,900 to 50 local community and voluntary organizations, marking a £50,000 increase from the previous year. Additionally, Procure Plus secured nearly £780,000 in external funding to support its social value activities.
Employer engagement also saw a significant rise, with 409 employers providing employment opportunities for candidates, compared to 91 employers in the previous year. This increase demonstrates a growing recognition in the construction industry of the importance of helping individuals enter sectors they might otherwise be excluded from.
Close to 500 individuals participated in courses designed to prepare them for employment in the construction industry, with these courses specifically targeted at those from client areas, helping them gain the skills needed for a successful career in a growing sector.
Gwen Beeken, Managing Director at Procure Plus, stated that the company leverages sophisticated market analysis and collective buying power to ensure quality products are purchased and significant improvement programs are delivered. This model has enabled Procure Plus to save landlords £29 million in the last year, with no reduction in quality or service.
Procure Plus is a Housing Digital Stakeholder and a social housing regeneration consortium that generates efficiencies by leveraging the procurement of construction materials and contractors. Behind the numbers are hundreds of individual stories of people turning their lives around by securing exciting opportunities in highly-skilled roles.
