SCOTLAND Excel has joined a national initiative designed to strengthen opportunities for social enterprises within supply chains.
The centre of procurement expertise has signed up to The Buy Social Scotland Pledge, led by Social Enterprise Scotland.
Launched earlier this year, the Pledge brings together corporate businesses, SMEs, academic institutions, and public sector bodies who are looking to make a commitment to bring social enterprises into their supply chains.
Stephen Brannagan, Scotland Excel’s director of customer and business services, explained, “I am delighted we have signed up to the Buy Social Scotland Pledge to build on the positive work we already do with the third sector. We work closely with our stakeholders and the Scottish Government to support the third sector and we were proud to put this into practice at our recent Supported Business event.”
Chris Martin, CEO at Social Enterprise Scotland, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Scotland Excel to the Buy Social Pledge. Their participation underscores a strong commitment to fostering social and environmental impact through their procurement practices. By integrating social enterprises into their supply chain, Scotland Excel is setting a powerful example of how organisations can drive positive change and promote a more inclusive economy across Scotland.”
The Buy Social Scotland Pledge has five key commitments:
- Recognise fair work principles.
- Make a commitment towards a net zero policy.
- Promote social enterprises within procurement and supply chain.
- Agree to prompt payment to suppliers.
- Commit to reporting annual spend with social enterprises.
Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company in Erskine is a supported business on Scotland Excel’s signage framework – having re-joined for the latest generation. Scotland Excel signed up to the Pledge during a recent site visit to Scotland’s Bravest.
Robert Lappin, assistant director at Scotland’s Bravest, said, “We pride ourselves on our social impact and all that we have achieved to date for veterans and others with disabilities or from a disadvantage. To help us achieve more and to drive fairness in our society we need councils to get behind Scotland’s Bravest’ and other supported businesses/social enterprises like us.”
