Responsible Procurement Diagnostic

How well is your organisation performing at implementing Responsible Procurement? Do you have a common understanding of its scope, what you want to achieve, what is expected of you, and what is within your sphere of influence?. Are you struggling to meet top down, unachievable targets, constrained by silo working and unfocussed resources?

The Responsible Procurement Diagnostic is a web-based service which asks respondents across an organisation about the ‘things that matter’ or critical success factors when it comes to implementing responsible procurement.

Understanding this before making public commitments to meeting targets or fulfilling a specific goal enables you to:

• increase confidence in your ability to make and deliver sustainability commitments

• safeguard your reputation for achieving outcomes

• support coherence and consistency with communications and messaging

• improve resource planning and priority setting

• allow you to track your year-on-year progress and benchmark against other like-minded councils

• generate evidence-based reports

• avoid responsible procurement being seen as a ‘box ticking’ or public relations exercise

It is simple, proven, very cost effective and puts you in charge of making a difference!

Read Ken Cole’s white paper - Delivering Sustainability through Responsible Procurement here.

Considering a Responsible Procurement Diagnostic - have your questions answered in our FAQs.

Respondents score each value code on a sliding scale based on their own perspective, giving an overall average which can be analysed by department and seniority.

Developing a shared understanding and setting realistic expectations.

The Diagnostic is designed to engage and inspire all participants, leaving them with a collective appreciation of the things that matter and a clearer sense of what good responsible procurement looks like. Setting realistic, informed targets for each Value Code provide an achievable action plan.

This approach:

  • Requires minimal resource to set up, promote and launch

  • Is easy to complete and participate in

  • Is secure to use and requires no technical involvement

  • Is proven, having been used by the LGA and other councils since 2016

  • Is low cost - £5,500 fixed price

  • Can be repeated each year and extended to support benchmarking

  • Takes between 6-8 elapsed weeks from order to completion

  • Let’s you determine the priorities, based on local need and aspirations

Onsite workshop available for an additional £1,250 to:

  • present the findings in context

  • determine what ‘good’ looks like for you

  • develop a 12 month action plan

How does it work?

Planning and preparation

We will help you:

  • Review and agree the value codes to suit your needs

  • Identify the individuals who have a stake in responsible procurement in your organisation

  • Promote the Diagnostic internally, through a senior project sponsor and template communications

During the Diagnostic process

The Diagnostic will run for 2-3 weeks. We will provide:

  • System administration and query management

  • Status reports on participation

  • Instant analysis on live data

Post Diagnostic

We will help you get the most from the online Diagnostic dashboard and help you present the findings in context of your objectives.

  • Value scores showing the range of responses

  • Full comment analysis including heat maps

  • Breakdowns by department and/or level of seniority

  • Opportunity to set a 12-month target and show variances

  • Opportunity to measure progress by repeating the Diagnostic in the future

  • Optional onsite workshop available to:

    • present the findings in context

    • determine what ‘good’ looks like for you

    • develop a 12 month action plan

“This exciting new diagnostic, developed by Ken Cole in collaboration with sustainability and change management experts, allows organisations to self-assess how well their organisation is prepared and organised to undertake responsible procurement as it applies to the original 1987 sustainability goals.

I have tested the Diagnostic. It is fully consistent with WorldCC’s vision and values. I am so grateful to Ken for his continued commitment to support people working in procurement and contract management through the development of incredibly valuable tools such as this. Together we can change the world, one contract at a time.”

Sally Guyer
Global CEO
World Commerce & Contracting Association
(www.WorldCC.com)



“Using the Diagnostic with key stakeholders internally is a great way to raise awareness of the importance of responsible procurement practice and encourage individuals to reflect on the opportunities they have to drive environmental and social benefits, and secure the greatest value from public expenditure.”

Steve Palfrey
AD - Waste & Environment, Growth, Highways & Infrastructure
Suffolk County Council