Putting Inclusion into Action: How Our Procurement Policy Drives Equality

19 September 2025

As an organisation, inclusion isn’t just a principle - it’s something we put into practice every day, including how we work with our partners and suppliers. 

Recently, the Council’s Procurement Policy has undergone its own transformation to ensure that that organisations providing services on our behalf share our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Matt Bowmer, the Council’s Head of Finance, explained: “I’ve been working on the refresh of the Council’s Procurement Policy and Strategy, and it was recently approved at Cabinet.

“It is an important document with the Council spending £243million with its suppliers in 2024/25. Our suppliers should have the same ambitions and values as we do as an organisation.

“There’s been a lot of attention on the Climate Action and Social Value sections, whilst the section on Ethical Practices hasn’t had the same profile. I’ll be relaunching the policy over the forthcoming weeks and will do this in its widest sense.”

Under our policy, all suppliers must meet minimum legal requirements, such as complying with the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty obligations in Wales. 

We will expect suppliers to have clear and up-to-date equality and diversity policies, regularly review their recruitment and workforce practices, and provide equality training for their staff.

For service contracts, suppliers must ensure their services are accessible and appropriate to meet the diverse needs of our communities. We will also encourage suppliers to collect and use data to understand how well they’re serving underrepresented groups and to actively improve access and outcomes.

Additionally, our policy will further promote inclusive employment practices by encouraging suppliers to offer opportunities to priority groups, including people with disabilities, care leavers, ex-service personnel, and others facing barriers to employment. 

By embedding these expectations into our procurement process, we aim to help create fairer opportunities and services that truly reflect and serve our communities.