In response to widespread economic injustices and a burning planet, the march for a new economy gathers momentum. Central to these efforts should be a ‘mission-oriented’ approach to procurement in central government, as outlined by new Demos research this week.
Procurement is the government’s largest expenditure, amounting to almost £300 billion a year – around 13% of the UK’s GDP. That’s an enormous amount: nearly three times what we spend on the NHS in England. Procurement is therefore a uniquely powerful tool for progressive policy makers to wield.
Useful fundamentals already exist for progressives to build upon. Through ‘social value’ criteria, the government can try to maximise the social, environmental and economic impact of procurement.
