Shortlist 2026

AstraZeneca transformed Third-Party Risk Management (3PRM) into a single, global, risk proportionate operating model that safeguards supply resilience while accelerating speed to business outcomes. Leveraging ServiceNow as a unified platform integrated with external risk intelligence and automation, AstraZeneca halved assessment turnaround times and reduced supplier onboarding by over 60%. Questionnaires were simplified, legacy suppliers were brought under due diligence and target controls were sharpened to focus on genuinely higher risk suppliers, reducing enhanced due diligence by ~41%. The result is stronger governance and resilience, better user experience and a scalable model that protects patients without slowing the business.

Enerjisa Üretim implemented an integrated Supply Chain Risk and Resilience Management System to safeguard procurement continuity in a highly volatile environment. The initiative delivers end-to-end visibility across more than 3,000 suppliers, extending beyond Tier 1 to Tier 2/3 and raw material exposure. By combining AI-enabled early warning signals, structured risk segmentation and deep-dive supplier assessments, procurement teams proactively identify and mitigate financial, operational, ESG, cyber and geopolitical risks. The system has enabled faster decision-making, strengthened supplier resilience, prevented disruption through early intervention and embedded preventive risk management into everyday sourcing and contract management.

Heathrow is proud of the Qualifying Value Criteria (QVC) and the resilience it has brought to the organisation and its supply chain. Acting as a gateway to the procurement environment, the QVC sets clear expectations around safety, security and governance, ensuring suppliers are ready to operate in one of the world’s most complex operational environments. By taking a proportionate, risk-based approach and supporting suppliers to build capability over time, the QVC strengthens continuity of supply, reduces operational and reputational risk and builds more transparent supplier relationships across Heathrow’s supply chain, while supporting a safe and sustainable airport for customers.

Lloyds Banking Group delivered a major system-driven enhancement to the Supplier Financial Health Dashboard, significantly strengthening early warning risk management across ~150 critical suppliers. The solution provides automated short-term and medium-term share price monitoring at both supplier and ultimate parent level, with embedded RAG assessments aligned to criticality. AI-generated, executive-ready insights cover price drivers, analyst sentiment, peer comparison, financial performance, credit ratings and recommended actions. Automated alerts escalate material risks, with high criticality shocks reported to the CPO, CFO and COO, enabling timely contingency planning and structured engagement with supplier CFOs.

The Cloud Pooled Audit Group (CPAG) is an industry-wide model that improves how financial services firms obtain independent assurance over Cloud Service Providers (CSPs). Multiple banks jointly commission a single, centrally coordinated audit, replacing fragmented, duplicative reviews with a scalable approach that pools industry expertise. This reduces cost and operational burden, improves audit quality through specialist input and provides more structured access to CSP subject matter experts. It also delivers consistent, comparable assurance over time, strengthening confidence in cloud resilience and critical controls amid growing concentration risk.

An automated EFS risk rating solution has transformed how NHS Supply Chain monitors supplier financial stability, strengthening resilience and safeguarding patient critical supply. The system now automatically captures financial data, calculates EFS ratios, prioritises high-risk suppliers and issues alerts to Category Teams, freeing over 1,267 hours annually while ensuring full compliance with PPN03/24. The tool supports early risk identification, enabling proactive mitigation planning and better protection against disruptions. Stakeholders describe the solution as “a transformation in NHS Supply Chain’s approach to risk management,” with teams praising the improved insight, streamlined processes and strengthened organisational resilience.

AXA XL led a global reinsurance broker RFP to replace fragmented local panels across 20+ entities, with AXA XL representing around two thirds of Group broker spend. The team created a unified, cross functional governance model, engaging 40 assessors across 10 departments and co-designing a 28 criteria scorecard to ensure consistent, transparent decisions. Key challenges – multi-entity alignment, inflationary market pressure and onboarding new brokers – were managed through disciplined decision rights, market intelligence and structured supplier engagement. Outcomes exceeded expectations: against an anticipated +15% cost uplift, the programme delivered -6%, onboarded two new brokers and established a repeatable ‘One Ceded Re’ sourcing blueprint.

The Systems Team in the Department for Transport (DfT) delivered a step change in how a shared procurement platform operates across separate organisations, combining strong system design with exemplary collaboration. By linking policies, process and systems through on-screen contextual guidance, DfT improved data quality, reduced avoidable support demand and significantly enhanced user confidence. The initiative improved relationships with previously disengaged stakeholders, empowered stakeholders within a common framework and released capacity to support higher value activity. This work stands out as a model of how user centred design, disciplined governance and collaborative delivery can drive lasting, cross-government digital improvement.

In 2025, DVLA Personalised Registrations undertook one of its most significant commercial transitions in over 30 years: the move from its long-standing auction supplier to a new provider. This complex, high-risk procurement and implementation programme required tight cross-directorate collaboration, seamless internal and external stakeholder management, rapid operational mobilisation, technical integration and transparent communication to safeguard a critical government income stream. Under DVLA’s coordination, the transition was delivered smoothly and on time and has already resulted in measurable commercial improvements since its commencement in October 2025.

Effective teamwork enabled the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to transform its approach to procuring critical digital and technology services. Faced with expiring contracts, limited supplier engagement and increasing operational pressures, cross-functional teams from Data, Technology & Innovation (DTI), Procurement, Legal, Change, Cyber Security and frontline business areas came together in one integrated programme. Through shared ownership, joint decision-making and collaborative problem-solving, the team designed and delivered a modern, future ready procurement model that improved competition, strengthened delivery confidence and supported the FCA’s digital-first, data-led strategy. This collaborative approach continues to deliver value, enhance resilience and drive long-term organisational benefits.

The Inventory Management Transformation Programme showcases exceptional collaborative teamwork across the NHS and its partners. Uniting NHS Supply Chain, NHS England, GS1 UK, Scan4Safety, suppliers, IT providers and frontline clinical teams, this pioneering initiative is modernising inventory management at scale. Through a dual team structure that blends national expertise with local insight, the programme delivers safer, more efficient and data-driven care. Its co-produced, standardised approach is reducing longstanding process inefficiencies, strengthening patient safety and building digital capability within NHS trusts. This scalable, multi-stakeholder model sets a new benchmark for collaborative transformation across the healthcare system.

Scottish Water (SW) has just delivered the largest and most complex procurement in its history to establish a new Enterprise supply chain for Capital Investment capable of delivering £9bn over 13 years. Taking a highly collaborative approach, a cross-functional team co-created this innovative procurement and commercial model, engaging extensively face-to-face with bidders to triangulate aligned behaviours, capability and outcomes. The procurement introduced bold efficiency incentives to drive true collaboration, delivering significant financial benefits and measurable lasting social value. With strong stakeholder endorsement, both internally and externally, SW have created a resilient, future focused delivery model incentivised for long-term success.

Established in May 2024, the Nuclear Sector Skills Team (NSST) is a collaboration of MOD, DESNZ and Industry representatives whose purpose is to deliver the Nuclear Skills Plan (NSP) on behalf of all 16 Skills Plan organisations. This is unprecedented, mobilising the nuclear sector across civil, defence, government and industry to deliver growth, national and energy security and fill 40,000 new jobs by 2030. This collaboration has required first-of-kind strategic engagement to ensure that a bespoke commercial approach could be developed and realised, establishing delivery partners across multiple projects, delivering for the sector, for the next five years.

AstraZeneca is committed to achieving Net Zero by 2045, focusing on ambitious supply chain decarbonisation. By requiring suppliers to set Science Based Targets (SBTi), incentivising action through preferred supplier status and contractual requirements, and offering extensive support via the Supplier Sustainability Hub, AstraZeneca has driven substantial progress throughout its global supplier base. By the end of 2025, over 1,000 suppliers had adopted SBTi targets, equating to more than 80% of supplier spend. This comprehensive approach demonstrates measurable, positive outcomes and sets a benchmark for environmental impact across the healthcare sector.

Through exemplary cross-sector collaboration, Babcock Naval Nuclear Procurement Team led a pioneering feasibility project to convert Devonport Royal Dockyard’s wastewater into at point of use green hydrogen using the HydroStar® system, a membrane-less hydrolysis technology – the first application of its kind in a naval base environment. The initiative established a resilient, closed loop fuel source that mitigates energy security risk. A full techno economic assessment confirmed commercial viability, forecasting hydrogen at £1.31/kg – below prevailing diesel/HVO rates – unlocking significant cost and carbon benefits. The project delivers a scalable, circular economy blueprint capable of materially reducing emissions across dockside and marine operations.

Carbon Trace is CBRE's supply chain decarbonisation program, addressing Scope 3 emissions across a $30B+ spend base spanning 150,000+ suppliers globally. Through three pillars – tiered supplier engagement, AI-driven procurement tooling and advanced analytics – Carbon Trace democratises access to carbon accounting for suppliers of all sizes. In 2025, the program engaged 6,000+ suppliers covering 42% of targeted emissions, tracked 336,842 tCO2e in decarbonisation actions and achieved 4,520 tCO2e in baseline reductions. By embedding sustainability into daily procurement decisions, Carbon Trace has transformed supply chain decarbonisation from a reporting exercise into measurable, scalable climate action supporting CBRE's Net Zero.

JLR's Procurement Team has commissioned a landmark 18.2 MWp ground-mounted solar installation – the equivalent of 36 football pitches – delivered at zero upfront capital cost through a pioneering Energy Services Agreement. This flagship Scope 2 carbon reduction asset is the proof point for an ambitious 80 MW renewable energy portfolio spanning UK and international manufacturing sites, materially advancing JLR's commitment to Net Zero by 2039. By pairing commercial innovation with strategic supplier partnership, procurement has converted climate ambition into delivered, measurable impact at industrial scale, establishing JLR as a pioneer among global automotive OEMs in supply chain decarbonisation.

Karsan developed a circular battery supply chain to reduce carbon emissions across Scope 1 and 2 and particularly Scope 3. The initiative replaces the traditional linear model with an ecosystem integrating recycling, second-life applications and material recovery. Digital monitoring of battery health supports data-driven lifecycle decisions, while reverse logistics enables safe collection and processing across global markets. Sustainability criteria were embedded into procurement and supplier engagement to align the value chain with Net-zero ambitions. By reducing reliance on virgin raw materials, the project delivers measurable environmental impact, strengthens supply chain resilience and positions Karsan in sustainable mobility.

The Low Carbon Demonstrator Fund (LCDF) was established by National Highways to accelerate the adoption of market-ready low carbon materials, techniques, plant and equipment across the Strategic Road Network (SRN). This was a groundbreaking initiative to accelerate the decarbonisation of surfacing works and used existing, established Supply Chain Communities and National Highways Frameworks to identify and procure innovative low carbon solutions and methods of delivery on live schemes. National Highways are changing the way we work to decarbonise construction on our roads, a crucial part of helping the UK to thrive as a low carbon economy.

Sustainability sits at the heart of Severn Trent’s corporate strategy, Performance Driven, Sustainability Led, reflecting a commitment to delivering operational performance in a way that creates long-term, positive environmental and social impact. This approach balances the needs of customers and communities, the environment, the workforce and investors, supported by increasingly ambitious sustainability targets and commitments. This project showcases the pivotal role of Procurement Teams in driving progress. By facilitating, engaging and collaborating across a complex supply chain, the teams are enabling meaningful carbon reduction and supporting the delivery of Severn Trent’s long-term sustainability ambitions.

The UK Ministry of Defence aspires to increase spending with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by 50% by May 2028, recognising their ability to innovate quickly and their vital role in building an agile, diverse, and resilient supply chain. In readiness, Boeing Defence UK (BDUK) launched the BDUK Cluster Training Programme, in partnership with ADS Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) and The Excellence Partnership (TEP). The programme is designed to build cohort innovation, widen access to Boeing’s supply base by engaging suppliers diverse in size, maturity, geography, market knowledge and ownership, including first time entrants to the defence sector.

Co-op started from a simple but uncomfortable truth: gender inequality still shapes UK workplaces and extends throughout supply chains. As of April 2025, men in full-time roles earned 6.9% more per hour than women, forcing women in effect, to work ‘for free’ until 16 February. As a co operative built on fairness and equity, Co-op believes that real change happens through collective action. Their commitment to closing the gender pay gap across its supply chains holds Co-op and its suppliers accountable for building a more just and equal future.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations are vital to the UK economy. To strengthen its diverse supplier base, the Department for Transport (DfT) launched a UK-wide SME & VCSE Supplier Engagement Programme, approved by the SME Minister. Shaped by supplier feedback, the programme delivers in-person regional events bringing together the DfT Group, key suppliers, government partners and local stakeholders. Since launch, 30 events have engaged over 4,000 SMEs, supporting contract wins, pipeline visibility and a one team culture. SME spend rose to £7.6bn, exceeding the 33% target, with the model adopted across government.

Karsan’s Next-Generation Strong Partnerships initiative establishes a diverse, inclusive and innovation-driven supplier ecosystem to support sustainable growth. Through an open supplier application platform, domestic and international B2B meetings, Supplier Technology Days and a global sourcing hub, Karsan expands access for SMEs and diverse suppliers while strengthening collaboration and transparency. The initiative promotes fair evaluation processes, encourages innovation and integrates new technologies into operations. By measuring participation and continuously improving engagement, Karsan enhances supply chain resilience and competitiveness. This structured approach not only unlocks strategic business value but also creates equal opportunities for suppliers of varying size, ownership and geographic background.

National Highways redefined supplier diversity by removing barriers that limited VCSE and SME participation in public procurement. Through its pioneering Social Enterprise Dynamic Purchasing System, simplified onboarding and tailored supplier support, it created a fully accessible, always-open route to market for underrepresented organisations. By embedding social value through buyer training, national engagement and re-engineered processes, inclusivity is now integral to procurement decisions. The results are clear; a significantly expanded and more diverse supplier base, millions directed to VCSEs, measurable social impact and stronger buyer confidence. This scalable model is driving innovation, strengthening local economies and delivering business value.

As part of its 2026-2030 Business Plan, Petrobras reaffirms its commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Human Rights, recognizing the energy transition as a process that is inseparable from social inclusion. In this context, the Fortalecer Program, launched in January 2025 in partnership with SEBRAE, aims to develop businesses led by underrepresented groups. The pilot project demonstrated significant progress in the management practices and revenue growth of participating companies, strengthening their integration into Petrobras’ contracting ecosystem and promoting sustainable regional development.

Digital Divide is an innovative supplier diversity initiative designed to tackle digital exclusion while reshaping how the WMCA delivers community-based adult education. By embedding supplier diversity into commissioning from the outset, the programme created a place-based, inclusive delivery model that positioned Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprises (VCFSE) organisations as core partners. This approach improved reach into communities most affected by exclusion, strengthened local capability and increased system resilience. The programme demonstrates how intentional commercial design, proportionate governance and hyperlocal delivery can unlock social value, drive inclusion and deliver sustainable system change, while building a diverse and future-ready supply base.

FinditinPlymouth is a procurement led initiative developed by Babcock International Group to ensure Ministry of Defence investment at Devonport Royal Dockyard delivers measurable social, environmental and commercial value alongside operational outcomes. Led by Babcock’s Naval Nuclear Procurement Team, the programme redesigns sourcing strategies, framework structures and supplier engagement to widen SME access, build long-term supply chain capability and strengthen regional resilience. Through early pipeline transparency, SME appropriate work packaging, Tier 1 co investment and embedded circular economy and Net Zero enablement, procurement is used as a strategic lever to drive inclusive growth, reduced delivery risk and whole-life value.

Skills shortages, high churn and limited progression across frontline roles are placing increasing pressure on the facilities management sector. Inspiring Hopes and Dreams (IHD) is a workforce programme, mobilising procurement and supply chain partners to take collective responsibility for workforce development. With this shared approach, employers collaborate to address skills gaps and open up progression opportunities. Through employer-led pathways, mentoring and targeted skills development, IHD connects individuals to real opportunities and supports progression into sustainable roles. Free to candidates, the programme removes barriers while aligning directly with workforce demand.

Ruwad National Training Program is bp Oman’s flagship pathway delivering measurable social value by closing the gap between graduate capability and supply chain workforce demand. Since launch, it has delivered workplace-based training cohorts and certification, with graduates progressing into supply chain roles through participating contractors. Procurement enables delivery: training and Omanisation requirements are embedded in contracts, supplier plans are baselined at award and performance is governed through KPIs, creating clear accountability from commitment to outcomes. Designed to scale across bp Oman’s contractor base, the program uses repeatable clauses, standard controls and consistent performance management to strengthen workforce readiness and resilience.

L&Q’s Major Works Investment Programme is addressing the challenges of building safety remediation, energy efficiency and achieving the Decent Homes Standard. Through strategic partnerships with 10 delivery partners, the programme has so far generated over £104m in social value, created more than 400 jobs, delivered 6,500+ apprenticeship hours and invested over £500,000 in community organisations. There has even been funding for 10 university scholarships for L&Q residents. Using SVP/TOMs framework and placemaking assessments developed by the L&Q Foundation, the programme has taken a targeted, evidence-led approach to addressing resident needs.

National Highways faced a critical skills shortage across England’s strategic road network while the UK prison system struggled to place ex offenders into meaningful employment. Partnering with HMP Hindley, the Ministry of Justice and key supply chain organisations, National Highways developed an innovative employability programme bringing immersive, industry standard training into prison. Using virtual reality, live equipment and hands-on activities, prisoners gained accredited skills and confidence aligned to real highway roles. Collaboration overcame employer scepticism and systemic barriers. The programme has significantly improved post release employment outcomes, reduced stigma, strengthened community cohesion and created a scalable model delivering social value alongside national infrastructure resilience.

The Procurement Team have led a vast improvement to Sainsbury’s national Food Donation Programme through a transformational redesign that directly resulted in over 26 million additional meals donated to those in need and a 49.3% increase in food redistributed. By using an innovative sourcing method, leading cross-functionally and integrating rigorous governance, Sainsbury’s Procurement Team delivered a partnership with significantly higher waste collection success rates, a simplified colleague process, full data transparency, an expanded charity reach and a reduction in operating costs. This new operating model demonstrated that responsible sourcing can deliver both social good and commercial value.

Unitel LLC, part of VEON Group, launched Hambi Davo as part of its digital ecosystem to make healthcare more accessible and convenient for people across Uzbekistan. Integrated into the Hambi Super App, the service allows users to access consultations, medical information and pharmacy services all in one place. The project addresses common barriers such as time, location and limited access to specialists. Through a carefully designed procurement and partnership approach, the company implemented a scalable digital health solution that delivers both practical everyday value for users and meaningful social impact.

Associated British Ports (ABP) transformed its MRO supply chain to address fragmented purchasing across 21 ports, multiple suppliers, inconsistent pricing and limited spend visibility. Procurement led the shift from a decentralised, reactive model to a nationally integrated, strategically managed supply chain for electrical, tools and consumable MRO items. Using structured category management, detailed spend analysis, stakeholder engagement and a Total Value Ownership approach, ABP assessed value beyond unit price, including service, sustainability and operational impact. Using the Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, the project overcame data, governance and change management challenges and delivered cost, efficiency and sustainability benefits.

This project transformed demand planning from a fragmented, spreadsheet-based approach into a scalable, procurement-led global capability, delivering end-to-end visibility of the future demand and sourcing workload. A unified and standardized process now establishes a single source of truth, enabling procurement to consistently quantify and track both backward-looking realised savings and forward-looking value opportunities in an auditable and structured way. Through an integrated orchestration layer leveraging Salesforce workflows and Power BI, this transformation has unlocked $50m+ in value potential and identified 2,300+ hours in efficiency gain, transitioning procurement from a tactical function to a proactive strategic partner worldwide.

MTN Group’s "Nerve Center" is pioneering an Integrated Digital Supply Chain Platform that synchronizes 16 multinational operations into a unified, cloud-based ecosystem. Built on Oracle Cloud, this strategic initiative integrates 15 modules and connects directly with key OEM systems like Huawei and Ericsson to enable real-time visibility. By replacing fragmented and manual processes with AI-driven analytics, MTN has transformed its supply chain from a reactive function into a proactive strategic enabler. The project has delivered $312 million in savings and reduced sourcing throughput time by 48%, significantly enhancing network rollout speed and customer experience.

The NUPCO Marketplace was launched to address fragmented procurement, limited transparency, inventory imbalances and supply risks across Saudi Arabia's public healthcare sector. It transformed procurement into a unified national supply chain platform integrating healthcare entities, suppliers, contracts, warehousing, finance and regulatory systems. Key innovations include embedded procurement options, the inventory redistribution program and structured alternative sourcing mechanisms. To date, the platform has processed over 500,000 purchase orders, connecting 400+ healthcare entities and 750+ suppliers. It covers government healthcare procurement across Saudi Arabia and provides innovative services to the private and non-profit sectors across pharmaceuticals, medical consumables and medical devices.

Facing record AMP8 investment, skills shortages and supplier concentration, Severn Trent (ST) transformed how it delivers critical water and wastewater services. Through its One Supply Chain programme, ST integrated insourced mains renewal with targeted acquisitions of specialist suppliers – creating a resilient, agile, outcome-focused model capable of mobilising at pace while preserving arm’s length commercial integrity. The programme enabled mobilisation of 400+ staff, secured materials, specialist capability, and safeguarded delivery of 200km+ of mains renewal. It reduced burst and leakage risk, strengthened spill and flooding prevention capability, cut exposure to market volatility and improved customer, environmental and regulatory outcomes.

Established in 2015, Tahakom is Saudi Arabia's national smart mobility and urban intelligence company, operating critical national infrastructure in support of Vision 2030. With a SAR 5bn annual procurement spend, Tahakom's Shared Services function manages one of the most significant supply chains among PIF portfolio companies. Tahakom's surveillance category, encompassing 8,000+ systems, exposed critical vulnerabilities: supplier concentration, fragmented integration and no structured technology onboarding pathway. Tahakom launched an integration program built on three pillars: structured supplier qualification (POC/FOK), cross-functional governance and multi-award Framework Agreements. The programme delivered 36% savings, engaged 42 global suppliers and reduced P2P cycles.

Associated British Ports’ procurement and contract management transformation is a key enabler of its Ready for Tomorrow strategy, supporting investment in offshore wind, energy security and decarbonised supply chains across 21 ports. With £800m+ of annual third party spend, a decentralised, transactional model limited Board visibility of cost, risk and contractual exposure, constraining budget accuracy and capital confidence. Procurement led the change: implementing an enterprise wide operating model; standardising policies and contracts; embedding controls into planning, budgeting and investment stage gates; digitising workflows; and building capability with the wider business. Results are measurable.

Buy Better is a bold, enterprise-wide procurement transformation programme designed to fundamentally change how purchasing decisions are made, when Procurement is engaged, and how much value is delivered to the organisation. Launched in 2025, the programme has delivered a step change in governance, commercial impact and user experience by embedding clear buying routes, enforcing a ‘tender first mindset and introducing rigorous controls across all spend.

EST launched a procurement transformation programme to support the efficient delivery of international engineering projects. By moving from a centralised purchasing model to a more agile and collaborative procurement approach, the organisation integrated procurement more closely with project teams and regional supplier networks. This transformation enabled more responsive supply chains around project locations while strengthening collaboration with local partners. As a result, procurement has evolved into a strategic capability that supports operational performance, supply chain resilience and sustainable international project delivery.

G’s Group delivered a £1.4m market outperformance by transforming fragmented, grower-led procurement into a centrally governed, forecast-driven model. Procurement introduced forward demand planning, early market engagement and global aggregation, achieving 70% forward visibility and reducing spot exposure from 75% to 20%. Structured fuel and energy hedging delivered over £1.3m in protection value, securing supply ahead of extreme market volatility. The programme eliminated supply disruption and improved planning accuracy by 34%. Critically, it ensured that the fresh salads and vegetables relied upon daily by millions remain consistently available, affordable and sustainably sourced, turning procurement excellence into everyday impact.

Hiscox’s Procurement Transformation Programme (2022–2026) addressed a fragmented third party landscape created by decentralised buying across multiple business units and limited group wide governance across ~$400m annual spend. Starting from a small team with limited influence, inconsistent policies and controls and ineffective tooling, the programme built procurement into a critical group function at the centre of the organisation’s transformation strategy. Saving tens of millions of dollars, consolidating the supplier base by two-thirds and gaining ESG insights on the majority of supplier spend, the journey has been both an evolution and a revolution.

M Group transformed fragmented transactional procurement into a unified, strategic function to unlock value across third party spend and meet a challenging EBITDA savings target. A new operating model, rapid mobilisation, 21 strategic hires, new processes and governance changed the way the function was viewed and increased stakeholder confidence. Within 18 months, procurement delivered multi-million pound EBITDA benefits and had a sustainable delivery model ready to support M Group's continued growth.

MTN wanted to future-fit its Procurement Operating Model to enhance agility and ensure it meets future business needs. Cost saving initiatives were amplified and EBITDA contributions to the business were bolstered. AI and machine learning were integrated into sourcing and supply chain management to enable informed, data-driven decisions. A sustainable sourcing strategy was implemented, aimed at reducing Scope 3 emissions. The skills of the workforce were developed and enhanced to align with the new Agile operating model. And procurement was pivoted from a traditional cost center to a revenue-generating unit by offering procurement services externally.

National Grid needed to deliver a £60bn capital investment programme, while facing the perfect storm of global supply shortages, inflationary pressures and intense regulatory scrutiny. To meet this multi-billion-pound challenge, we completely reimagined procurement, delivering an end-to-end operational, strategic and cultural transformation. The impact was decisive: 75% of critical supply secured for the next five years, £250 million+ in annual business value delivered, staff upskilled and supplier advocacy elevated to world-class levels. Procurement is now a strategic engine – securing critical supply, de-risking delivery and setting a new benchmark for procurement excellence across the energy sector.

Primark’s procurement function has undergone the most ambitious transformation in its history: rebuilt across a £2bn indirect/GNFR spend base from limited visibility, low stakeholder trust and fragmented processes. For the first time, procurement is leading enterprise-wide change. Faced with escalating costs, inflationary pressures, geopolitical tensions and a complex regulatory landscape, procurement needed to deliver more value; with a demerger on the horizon, third parties needed to support cost management and growth. Backed by digital infrastructure and an outsourced partnership, the new operating model was delivered in under eight months, surpassing every target on spend visibility, savings and governance.

Tahakom, established in 2015, is Saudi Arabia’s national leader in smart mobility and urban intelligence, delivering mission-critical infrastructure aligned with Vision 2030, and recognized internationally through CIPS London Highly Commended (Best SRM, 2025) and World Procurement Congress shortlisting. The program delivered a fundamental redesign of operating model, technology architecture and governance framework, re-engineering 45+ end-to-end processes and eliminating 150+ structural inefficiencies that previously constrained performance. A best-in-class digital ecosystem was established through rigorous evaluation of 50+ technology solutions, resulting in a fully integrated SAP landscape (Ariba, S/4HANA, BTP) embedded across the procurement lifecycle.

Operating across critical national infrastructure, including nuclear and defence programmes supported by over 6,200 engineers and a comparable external population, this initiative delivered a seismic shift in how Babcock manages its engineering supply chain. In an environment where scarce specialist capability exists, assurance, delivery agility and resilience are paramount, fragmented sector-led practices were replaced with a unified, value-driven Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) model. Enterprise-wide governance and cross-sector frameworks eliminated silos and created a single strategic view of suppliers. Crucially, supplier-funded early engineering activity was secured to accelerate mobilisation and support growth, an approach rarely seen in defence supply chains.

Waypoint is Bellrock’s structured Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and accreditation platform, created to answer the question: “What would happen if Bellrock manages suppliers in the same way it manages its own people?” Inspired by high performance coaching, Waypoint creates a pathway for supplier capability improvement, the idea being that improving capability to perform comes before improving performance. Through initial self-assessment to evidence auditing, accreditation and then supplier development plan, Waypoint has strengthened supplier capability, improved service delivery and enabled more consistent outcomes for clients.

Effective supplier relationship management brings results when all parties collaborate, co-operate and trust each other to create better outcomes. In re-designing the way that Co-op’s Quick Commerce supply chain was structured, existing partnerships, insights and networks were brought together to achieve an enhanced customer proposition, risk reduction and lasting value realisation. The constant close collaboration and communication between Co-op and marketplace partners unlocked innovation and achieved first to market status, but also ensured that during a complex rollout, teams remained aligned on priorities and on course for a smooth transition that fuels continued growth for all parties.

In 2025, Costa Coffee's Procurement Team launched a best-in-class tender for its 70m-unit savoury category against a backdrop of major inflationary pressure. Rather than defaulting to conventional negotiation, the team developed Partner for Growth (P4G) – a proprietary commercial framework built on six value-creation mechanisms: ingredient efficiency, vertical integration, data sharing, new revenue streams, commodity modelling and executive alignment. Embedded within Costa's SRM programme and governed across six structured pillars, P4G delivered complete inflation mitigation, a significant P&L contribution and the transformation of a transactional supplier relationship into a strategic partnership, establishing a repeatable model across the wider business.

JLR's procurement team has transformed a long-standing supplier relationship into a strategic collaboration that delivers exceptional enterprise value. Building on a 30-year partnership, procurement led a cross-functional JLR team alongside BP Castrol to evolve the agreement into a sophisticated, incentive-based model spanning commercial, technical, brand, customer,and motorsport dimensions. The collaboration has unlocked substantial multi-year value, secured seamless supply continuity through a major platform transitio, and powered bespoke product innovation – including a jointly developed lubricant integral to JLR's historic Dakar Rally success. The result is a benchmark SRM partnership demonstrating procurement's pivotal role in driving sustained, enterprise-wide value creation.

National Highways’ suppliers have created a revolutionary approach to building supply chain capability that delivers high-performance outcomes. The Supplier Development System (SDS) not only sets clear direction around capability requirements, it also provides tailored development plans for each supplier and a huge array of free learning and development resources. The exceptionally collaborative approach to creating SDS was critical to success. It led to a unique solution which is accelerating capability growth across the whole sector with demonstrable growth and performance impacts. The team are immensely proud of their achievements and supplier testimonials have been exceptional.

SOCAR Türkiye transformed its plastic pallet supply chain from a single-source, logistics-intensive model into a sustainable, localised and circular ecosystem. By developing a strategic supplier and supporting investment near its operational sites, SOCAR Türkiye enabled local production, contributed to regional economic development and reduced transportation needs while establishing a closed-loop recycling system. The initiative delivers cost efficiency, enhances supply security, supports regional employment and significantly reduces carbon footprint. This collaborative SRM-driven project demonstrates how procurement can drive innovation, sustainability and long-term value creation beyond traditional sourcing practices.

UK Border Force, in partnership with Biffa, has transformed the disposal of seized goods from a fragmented compliance activity into a resilient, sustainable and value-driven national service. Using an outcome-based circular procurement model, the partnership embedded innovation, environmental performance and social value directly into operational delivery. This enabled new recycling and recovery solutions for complex waste streams, reduced long term costs and strengthened supply chain resilience. Measurable results include 100% landfill diversion, significant carbon reduction, public savings exceeding £1m strong SME participation and national recognition for innovation.

In 2025, HSBC Global Procurement launched the Innovation Lab, a project aiming to accelerate supplier-led climate and nature innovation across our highest-emitting categories: Real Estate, Technology and Professional Services. We gathered our strategic suppliers, internal stakeholders and industry experts to move beyond traditional decarbonisation and co-create practical solutions across four themes: decision-ready carbon emissions data, low carbon operating models, nature action nature, route to found and scale climate innovation The Innovation Lab created a strong collaboration platform, highlighted shared value-chain challenges and set up working groups to turn ideas into delivery, showing how partnership can drive sustainability at scale.

Project Infinity is MTN Global Sourcing and Supply Chain’s circular procurement program, designed to replace linear buy-use-dispose practices with a controlled, digitally enabled reuse model. The initiative extends the life of network equipment through certified refurbishment, cross-market reuse and responsible recycling, supported by a digital marketplace and item-level tracking. Embedded into procurement policy, the model has improved visibility, strengthened compliance, reduced waste and created measurable environmental and commercial value. Project Infinity demonstrates how procurement can drive sustainability at scale while supporting resilience, cost efficiency and digital inclusion across MTN’s African footprint.

Pragmatic Semiconductor’s Procurement Team reimagined the semiconductor supply chain from the ground up – proving growth and sustainability can go hand in hand. Rather than sourcing within a traditional, resource-intensive model, the team designed a sustainability-led supply chain from first principles. Procurement was embedded from concept through to delivery, shaping supplier selection, materials and fab design. The result is a fundamentally different supply chain – resource-efficient by design, powered by data and collaboration and delivering measurable environmental, operational and commercial value.

In 2021, Primark committed to eliminating single use plastics (SUP), identifying plastic hangers as a major opportunity for impact. The Babywear pilot introduced FSC certified recycled cardboard hangers and initiated one of the largest global retail nominated hanger programmes. Led by Procurement & Packaging, this was a highly complex, cross functional change initiative requiring deep collaboration across internal teams. Extensive supplier engagement and training were critical to ensuring global readiness and consistent quality. The programme improved in-store presentation, enhanced customer experience, reduced compliance risks and packaging taxes and enabled wider rollout across categories, accelerating Primark’s broader plastic reduction ambitions.

The Sainsbury’s Procurement Team have delivered a first-of-its-kind closed-loop waste-to-fuel system, transforming its own food waste into Bio-LNG to fuel its HGV fleet. Completely led by the team, the programme delivers a massive, measurable and reportable carbon reduction programme in support of Sainsbury’s commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2035. Through innovation-led sourcing, cross-functional collaboration, integration and creative commercial design, the Procurement Team unlocked a new partnership model delivering a practical and scalable solution, representing an industry-leading approach within UK retail logistics that delivers an extra 3,000 tonnes of CO₂e savings annually and sets a new benchmark for the sector.

For Bayer, sustainability and human rights are non-negotiable. Yet they faced rising European regulations (CSDDD, German Supply Chain Act), limited ESG transparency across only half the spend, and slow, costly, non scalable assessments. Bayer addressed this through a partnership with Responsibly, co creating SourcingIMPACT. Using AI, the solution screens public ESG data at scale, covering human rights, ethics, environmental and governance risks, and integrates actionable insights directly into Bayer’s supplier management system. Today, 81% of procurement spend is ESG informed, sustainability is embedded in sourcing decisions and procurement achieved ~40% cost savings through the tool.

CBRE developed Guided Supplier Search, an AI-driven supplier intelligence platform, to address the scale, complexity and fragmentation of its global supplier ecosystem. Managing over 150,000 suppliers across 70+ countries, CBRE lacked a centralised, data-led view of supplier capabilities, spend, performance and sustainability. The platform consolidates data from more than 50 systems into a single, trusted supplier master record, leveraging machine learning and large language models to automate data matching, spend classification and advanced search. The solution has transformed procurement decision-making, reduced manual effort, improved governance and delivered rapid global adoption, positioning CBRE at the forefront of AI-enabled procurement transformation.

CBRE operates a devolved procurement model, where 13,000 colleagues make buying decisions independently. While this empowers teams, it often made consistent use of supplier rate cards, benchmarks and guidance difficult to apply in practice. SmartRates was developed to solve this challenge, creating a single, structured system that brings together supplier data, automation, dashboards and AI tools. It helps teams answer three core questions at the point of decision: how do I buy, what rates apply, and are we being charged correctly? In 2025, SmartRates improved compliance, reduced rework, accelerated decisions and delivered measurable commercial benefits, while strengthening supplier collaboration.

For years, technical evaluation in procurement was one of those processes everyone knew was broken but nobody had fixed. It was slow and heavily dependent on whoever happened to be in the room. This project changed that. By introducing an AI-driven evaluation tool into Dubai Digital Authority’s sourcing cycle, evaluation time was cut by 93% and delivered scoring outputs more consistent and more defensible than anything produced manually. What this project really achieved was a shift in how procurement is perceived: from an administrative function to a genuine driver of digital innovation.

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT) faced growing procurement demand, but manual processes and compliance burden were limiting its capacity to deliver. Working with EcoVate Group’s Procurement Optimisation Engine, Dotted Line, GSTT introduced targeted automation across key stages of procurement delivery, including tender documentation generation, evaluation and outcome outputs. In twelve months, 206 procurement projects and 282 automated documents released 231.7 working days of procurement capacity, shifting the team's focus from administration to strategic decision-making. The project demonstrates how smart automation can help free up capacity and improve consistency to strengthen delivery in complex public sector environments.

Macquarie's Group Procurement Team developed ORSN (Outsourcing and Regulated Services Navigator) using AI to address a complex, country-specific, regulator sensitive decision faced by financial services firms. ORSN replaces fragmented, manual SME-led assessments with globally consistent, governance led automation, AI-driven decisions supported by mandatory human oversight and full audit traceability. Deployed globally, ORSN has reduced regulatory risk, accelerated supplier onboarding, reduced manual handling and established a scalable model for AI adoption across procurement. What began as a Copilot prompt created by the Procurement Team is now an enterprise-grade AI solution embedded in the SaaS Third-Party Risk Management system workflow via secure APIs.

Primark’s Procurement Transformation Programme is a critical enabler of its future operating model, driven by the need for procurement to do more in the face of escalating costs, inflationary pressures, geopolitical tension, a complex regulatory landscape and an ambitious growth plan. A potential demerger and IPO process added urgency. The existing technology landscape was constrained with fragmented systems, limited automation and inconsistent ways of working. The transformation addressed this by introducing intake and orchestration technology, enhanced data capabilities and a new operating model supported by an offshore partner-led Global Business Service (GBS), delivered in under eight months, surpassing every target.

Through the power of collaboration, the CCS Contract Management Pioneer Programme (CMPP) is raising the standards for how contracts are delivered by Procurement Teams and within wider local government. By providing training, hands-on transformation, shared practice, tools and templates, CMPP is supporting councils in strengthening contract management to deliver greater value to the benefit of residents. CMPP is distinctive because it takes a comprehensive approach to developing commissioning and commercial capability. Crown Commercial Service, working with Local Partnerships and other partners, sees this as a long-term investment in local government, with councils themselves able to shape the support they receive.

The Government Commercial Agency is committed to bridging the gap between front-line service and specialised expertise through an innovative Procurement Rotation Programme. Centred in its Customer Service Centre, this initiative empowers contact centre staff to transcend their traditional roles. Following intensive training, participants undertake a three-month immersion within a Procurement Team, gaining hands-on commercial experience. This strategic up-skilling accelerates individual career trajectories into the commercial space and enriches the core service; staff return with a sophisticated understanding of the public sector landscape.

The geo-political threats and a publicly stated ambition to improve the pace of contracts required a bold approach to deliver capable commercial staff quicker than ever before within MOD. In response, the Commercial Fast Path programme is a transformational initiative designed to rapidly build professional capability across Defence's 2,500 strong Commercial Function. The programme delivers an accelerated, ten-week route to CIPS Level 4. Co-developed with CIPS, it blends immersive learning, AI-enabled tools, cohort-based delivery and a buddy system to enhance competence, confidence and commercial judgement. With 100% accreditation, the programme strengthens procurement effectiveness and improves organisational resilience.

Roads Academy (RA) is National Highways’ (NH) sector wide leadership initiative, co created with the supply chain across the end-to-end procurement lifecycle to develop the current and future leaders needed to deliver safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. It offers a blend of e-learning, in-person development and cross-industry collaboration, building leaders who can accelerate change, strengthen performance and drive innovation across the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Grounded in core themes – Operational Excellence, Emotional Intelligence and Future Capabilities – RA equips leaders to overcome current challenges and proactively shape the roads sector’s future. It is redefining leadership through shared learning, collaboration and real-time problem-solving.

The NHS Supply Chain Carbon Literacy Programme demonstrates how investing in people capability can drive change beyond traditional procurement skills. Designed to embed sustainability into everyday decision-making, the programme equips procurement professionals with awareness and confidence to engage stakeholders on sustainability. Through blended learning, peer-led workshops and action-based pledges, sustainability is translated from strategic ambition into practical behaviour change. The programme has strengthened capability, empowered colleagues as change agents and embedded sustainability as a shared responsibility – raising the influence of procurement across suppliers, customers and the NHS while supporting delivery of the NHS Net Zero ambition.

The People Development Programme strengthened supply chain capability by moving development from fragmented training to a structured, business-aligned model. A tailored competency framework and baseline assessment for 55 employees clarified capability gaps and redesigned IDPs, increasing alignment with business needs from 45% to over 90%. By embedding learning into real initiatives, the programme built strategic sourcing, supplier management, digital, analytical and leadership skills while delivering measurable outcomes, including SAR 48m in savings, 89% supplier satisfaction, 98.84% spare parts availability and 15 professional certifications. It established a sustainable learning culture linked to performance and organizational value.

Sellafield Ltd's Capability Programme delivered far more than improved processes or short-term procurement gains as the initiative transformed procurement practices within the nuclear sector. Its implementation has significantly uplifted procurement capability, enabled stronger team integration, enhanced operational excellence, embedded a culture of agility, innovation and continuous improvement in an industry traditionally marked by caution. Building on its award-winning success, the team’s ability to seamlessly transition the programme in-house enabled long-term upskilling, strengthened resilience for future organisational performance, improved its training quality scores, enhanced category strategy realisation and cost savings and provided benefits for the wider NDA Group.

Our Commercial People Development Plan is a high-impact people investment programme that builds capability beyond technical procurement, strengthening influence, confidence and business integration. Across two cohorts, 30 colleagues from assistant buyer to senior category manager developed strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, resilience and communication through applied, real-world learning. Designed collaboratively with HR, senior leaders and commercial experts, the programme evolved through feedback, shifting to smaller cohorts, enhanced strategic content and peer-led learning. Outcomes include 100% role relevance, 90% full learning application and visible performance uplift in stakeholder engagement and decision-making, demonstrating improved commercial effectiveness, leadership maturity and sustainable capability growth.

UNDP operates in complex, decentralised, global environments where procurement is critical, yet capability across teams was historically uneven, particularly among public procurement professionals. Existing training was largely geared towards private sector contexts, with limited alignment to UN-specific diverse operational environments and policy frameworks. There was no globally recognised certification pathway tailored to the UN public sector to build strategic capability at scale, despite demand across UN agencies and partners. The challenge was to establish a tailored certification pathway, culminating with launching the UNDP MCIPS Level 6 programme in 2025, to develop leadership capability and position procurement as a strategic profession.

Curzon Consulting partnered with Sydney Airport to transform procurement at Australia's primary international gateway, repositioning it from a fragmented, transactional function to a strategic capability embedded in operational decision-making. Working across a complex portfolio of supplier contracts in a live 24/7 environment, the programme re-negotiated, re-scoped or re-tendered relationships with 30+ suppliers while protecting safety, resilience and passenger experience throughout. Results were significant and sustainable, driven not by short-term cost cutting but by operationally grounded transformation, challenging entrenched supplier relationships, redesigning commercial models, reducing contractual risk and building lasting internal capability.

Shell engaged Deloitte Real Estate Advisory on the design and procurement of its fourth-generation Global Real Estate Contracting Strategy (Jan 2024-Jun 2025). This was a project with multi-million-pound procurement of outsourced services covering Facilities Management, Real Estate Transactions, Construction Project Management, Workplace Strategy and Architecture & Design. The objective was to create a strategy that delivered efficiencies, operational excellence and enhanced supplier relationships, and supported Shell’s ambition for sustainability and innovation across its global real estate portfolio. Deloitte aided the successful development and execution of the strategy, leveraging industry best practice and insight to establish a robust, future-ready contracting model.

M Group, a leading UK infrastructure services provider, transformed its fragmented procurement function into a coordinated, strategic capability. Partnering with Efficio, the programme combined rapid-value delivery with long-term capability building, embedding a new operating model across a complex, multi-entity organisation. Through advanced analytics, structured sourcing and strong stakeholder engagement, procurement shifted from siloed operations to a central value driver. The transformation improved visibility, strengthened governance and enabled better decision-making across the business. As a result, procurement is now positioned as a trusted partner, supporting growth, driving efficiencies and delivering sustainable value across the organisation.

BP selected EY to deliver the Digital Operating System (DOS), a large-scale procurement transformation to reset how procurement operates across a complex, global organisation. Beginning with a pre-RFP diagnostic, EY identified that the core constraint was not technology but the absence of a trusted, consistently adopted operating model. EY worked with BP to redesign procurement end-to-end, integrating operating model integrity, digital enablement and behaviour-led change. The programme restored confidence in digital procurement and delivered material and measurable financial and operational improvements. It also embedded the governance, capability and repeatable deployment model required for bp to sustain and scale transformation independently.

Procure4 partnered with Butlin’s to strengthen and elevate its procurement function within a complex, multi-site leisure environment facing significant external cost pressures. Through a collaborative, ‘one team’ approach, the programme enhanced governance, improved supplier relationships and embedded structured, data-led procurement practices across more than 40 categories. The initiative delivered measurable financial benefits while maintaining guest experience and operational continuity. It also increased procurement’s influence across the organisation, positioning it as a trusted strategic partner. The result is a more mature, insight-driven procurement function, equipped to deliver sustainable value and support long-term business performance.

Proxima and Sizewell C are redefining the delivery of nationally significant infrastructure, transforming procurement into a market-shaping engine for long-term economic, social and environmental value. Addressing fragmented sourcing, disjointed demand and fragile domestic supply chains, Proxima introduced a category -ed delivery model aligning commercial rigour with industrial resilience and sustainability. The partnership restored control across a £40bn nuclear programme through board approved strategies covering an initial £4bn spend pipeline. In addition to double-digit improvements in whole life cost, the approach has strengthened UK steel capability, supply chain resilience and nuclear readiness while embedding environmental, economic and social value by design.

This project redefined procurement as a strategic enabler of national value creation through the integration of In-Country Value (ICV) Plans. It transformed procurement from retrospective compliance to forward-looking, contractual value generation embedded in tender evaluation and governance. During implementation, over 70% of tenders incorporated ICV requirements, while the share of contracts awarded to Tawteen-registered suppliers increased from 77% to 99.6%. Supplier capability expanded significantly, with the registered base growing by over 56%. The model provides a scalable, data-driven and auditable framework that can be replicated across sectors and adopted by public procurement systems to align spending with national economic objectives.

TSM partnered with IPC International, a global supply chain partner supporting Subway franchisees across complex international markets, to design and deliver a full source-to-contract transformation using Ivalua. IPC operated without a procurement system, relying entirely on manual processes, fragmented data and disconnected tools. TSM led a phased, collaborative implementation covering supplier onboarding, risk management, sourcing, contract lifecycle management and performance management. The result: a single integrated platform that replaced chaos with governance, visibility and automation.

AXA XL Procurement has evolved into a high-performing, influential function delivering measurable commercial, governance and cultural impact. Following a multi-year, internally led transformation, the 76-strong global team operates through a coherent operating model aligned to value and risk. Performance improvements include c.50% cycle time reduction, c.80% process automation and materially improved stakeholder experience. ESG, risk and compliance are embedded as core decision criteria, while a strong people centric culture – supported by capability building and engagement initiatives – has strengthened resilience, effectiveness and trust. Procurement is now recognised as a strategic partner delivering sustainable enterprise value.

In December 2024, Coventry Building Society acquired the Co-Operative Bank, creating the Coventry Building Society group, the seventh largest organisation in the Uk financial services sector. From 1 January 2025 the group embarked on an ambitious integration programme to leverage both organisation’s strengths in market share and customer service, but also bringing back-office functions together, reducing duplication and realising synergies and efficiencies. Procurement integration had four key elements – Strategic Contracts & Synergy Delivery, People, Systems and Policies. Each element of the plan was sponsored by the Group CFO and workstream progress reported into the executive committee.

HMRC's Strategic Supplier Relationship Management (SSRM) team is a recognised centre of excellence, transforming how one of government’s largest and most complex estates manages its critical suppliers. A lean team of eight oversees 20 strategic suppliers representing £1.6bn of annual spend, embedding a single, enterprise-wide framework that drives value, resilience, innovation and accountability. In 2025/26, SSRM delivered £64m of incremental value and £71m of social value, achieving a 4% Return on Relationship. Recognised by the Cabinet Office as ‘best in class’ and by State of Flux as market-leading, SSRM is a strategic enabler of HMRC’s transformation and public value.

The Unibake Procurement Team has delivered outstanding results by uniting behind shared goals and a strong One Unibake ethos. The team strengthened financial performance, expanded value engineering, improved supply resilience and accelerated sustainability progress. Global category strategies and enhanced risk management delivered record savings and drove nearly 20,000 tonnes of CO₂ reductions. Collaboration across countries has never been stronger, culminating in Unibake’s first global Procurement Conference and a truly connected community. This collective effort has elevated procurement’s impact, maturity and influence across the entire business.

As MTN Group enters the second year of implementing its Agile Procurement Operating Model Refresh, the transformation strategy comprises several key components: Redesigning the procurement operating model to enhance its agility and ensure it meets future business needs. Amplifying cost-saving initiatives and bolstering EBITDA contributions to the business. Integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning into sourcing and supply chain management to enable informed, data-driven decisions. Implementing a sustainable sourcing strategy aimed at reducing Scope 3 emissions. Developing and enhancing the skills of the workforce to align with the new Agile operating model.

Over the past year, procurement has delivered exceptional transformation, redefining its strategic influence and value across the Society. Through the successful integration of Virgin Money, the rollout of a new group-wide Coupa platform, and a fundamental redesign of sourcing, risk and contracting processes, the team has created a modern, efficient and collaborative procurement ecosystem. Strong partnerships with Finance and Third-Party Risk have strengthened governance and improved organisational confidence in procurement outcomes. This high-performing, unified team has demonstrated resilience, innovation and cultural strength, consistently elevating performance while enabling safer, faster and more transparent procurement for colleagues, suppliers and members.

Peabody’s Group Procurement & SRM Team has delivered a step-change in how procurement supports residents, colleagues and long-term value. The team has transformed a decentralised, reactive function into a strategic, data-led operating model, bringing over 90% of spend under contract and embedding consistent governance, risk management and supplier performance controls. Through strengthened category management, an enhanced SRM framework and digital dashboards, the team achieved £3.3m in cashable savings, over £8m in social value and improved compliance, transparency and service outcomes. This transformation has been recognised through creation of a Director of Procurement & SRM role to represent at leadership level.

The Sainsbury’s Procurement Team has become a strategic, high-performing transformation engine with real influence at the heart of the Sainsbury’s Group. Managing £4bn of spend, the team now drives financial performance, operational resilience and strategic value across all of Sainsbury’s brands, delivering benefit far beyond savings through clear strategy, commercial leadership, innovation and robust supplier partnerships.

In 2024, Bellrock launched a procurement transformation programme called ProcureX to elevate the team from passive back-office entity to a strategic powerhouse. A new board-level CPO was appointed to drive the transformation and a 4D operating model was introduced to focus on business partnering, category management and client focus. Targeted savings of £2.1m and new KPIs transformed the team into a high-performance value-driver. As a result, the FY savings baseline saw a 23x increase from 2024 to 2025 (£100k to £2.3m); Arrival on Time was up by 5%; and First Time Fix was up by 4%.

Over the past four years, the British Red Cross Corporate Procurement Team has transformed from a process-focused control function into a confident, values-led strategic partner operating at the heart of a humanitarian organisation. Working within the unique pressures of the charity sector, where colleagues respond to crises and every pound has a human consequence, the team strengthened governance, improved data, simplified processes and built procurement capability across the organisation. The result is higher compliance, reduced risk and stronger value delivery, ensuring more resources are directed to helping people in crisis.

Over the past 18 months, enfinium’s Procurement Team has undergone a fundamental transformation from a largely transactional, decentralised support function into a strategic, high-performing procurement organisation delivering measurable enterprise value. In a complex, operationally critical energy-from-waste environment, the team has embedded governance, elevated procurement’s influence across executive leadership and driven a culture of commercial excellence and accountability. Through strategic sourcing, supplier innovation and long-term value creation initiatives, procurement has delivered substantial financial, operational, and strategic benefits while becoming a trusted partner to the business and a recognised driver of EBITDA, resilience and shareholder value.

The Karsan Purchasing Team revolutionized its organizational impact by implementing a pioneering Integrated Cost Forecasting Model that unites macroeconomic, commercial,and technical insights. By establishing dedicated Cost Engineering and Purchasing Engineering functions, the team bridged the gap between R&D and Finance, transforming procurement from a reactive support role into a proactive strategic partner. This data-driven approach, paired with a culture of collaborative cost-reduction workshops and Target Costing methodologies, enabled the team to significantly outperform efficiency targets. Their initiative has not only delivered substantial savings but has also institutionalized transparency and foresight, securing Karsan’s competitive advantage globally.

Meta Procurement is a specialist procurement team delivering national public sector impact through a distinctive Active Procurement Management (APM) model, combining market intelligence, commercial design, procurement execution, supplier governance, buyer enablement and continuous improvement, moving beyond passive framework management to active commercial leadership. In five years, Meta has grown from a start-up managing one framework into a strategic procurement delivery partner operating nationally through a long-term partnership with Efficiency East Midlands. Frameworks and procurements designed, delivered or actively managed by Meta represent over £1bn in potential public sector value, supporting more than 100 public bodies and reshaping how procurement delivers.

S&W’s procurement function delivered a clean, compliant, fully independent operating model through one of the UK mid-market's most complex professional services separations, strengthening procurement’s strategic impact. With a lean team of four, procurement separated 500+ suppliers and hundreds of contracts in nine months, achieving day one readiness without operational disruption or loss of regulatory or commercial discipline. Robust governance, a single front door intake model, and scalable M&A playbooks were implemented to enable rapid growth with stronger control and risk management. Procurement is now a trusted partner to the Executive Committee, Finance and Risk.

In just a few years, the Travers Smith Procurement Team have redefined what a lean function can achieve within a City law firm. From a greenfield start, Travers Smith built a high-impact, business-partnering function that delivers measurable value, innovation and strategic influence. The team have accelerated major initiatives from sourcing state-of-the-art technology platforms to supporting a transformative headquarters relocation, while increasing contract coverage and compliance from 42% to 95% and generating seven-figure annualised savings. Travers Smith champion commerciality, responsible sourcing, digital integration and genuine collaboration.

DVLA delivered a major PFI exit programme to transition from a complex 20-year agreement for Facilities Management (FM) services to a modern, new multi-contractual operating model. A cross-functional team – commercial, legal, estates, technical and finance verified assets – redesigned services and managed risk to maintain business continuity. Competitive procurements introduced new contractual provisions that strengthened performance management, data transparency and compliance assurance, while driving significant cost efficiencies versus legacy arrangements. The programme also increased DVLA’s autonomy to vary services, invest and optimise the estate. Ultimately, it created a more responsive FM service, improving the workplace experience for all.

The Defra Group Commercial Infrastructure Category Frameworks Team delivers framework procurements on behalf of the Environment Agency, including the specialist Beach Management Framework (BMF). The BMF provides a vital route to market for managing and maintaining coastal defences that protect people, property, infrastructure and the environment from flooding and erosion. Without this framework, risks include flooding, erosion, economic loss, environmental damage and community decline. The framework covers beach recycling, beach recharge using specialist marine dredged material and rock placement, supported by civil engineering works and coastal emergency incident response following storms. The framework is valued at £1.23bn over eight years.

In a context of 27% cumulative inflation and unprecedented financial pressures on NHS services, the South London Cardiac Collaborative Procurement Programme brought together seven NHS trusts and NHS Supply Chain to act as a single system. Covering £27m annual spend in life-saving cardiac devices, the programme overcame clinical variation, complex stakeholder alignment and market engagement to achieve savings and benefits of £15.4m over five years. Furthermore, it secured £11.1m for value investment into NHS frontline services. This clinically-led, system-wide approach demonstrates how innovative procurement can mitigate cost pressures, unlock investment and deliver sustainable improvements for patients.

The Trader Support Service reprocurement secured the continuity and future resilience of a service supporting over 45,000 traders moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Delivered under public and parliamentary scrutiny, the project successfully re competed a live service to a fixed timetable without disruption. Using an outcome-based Competitive Dialogue approach, the team aligned commercial strategy with HMRC’s digital transformation ambitions, securing over £30m per annum in cashable savings while improving affordability, resilience and long-term value. It is an example of best practice public procurement, combining service continuity, competition and transformation of a complex government service.

HMRC’s Competition to Identify Deliberate Evasion and Help Close the Tax Gap (or Tax Gap Competition) is a multi-stage Competitive Flexible Procedure launched under the Procurement Act 2023 in July 2025. It is the first procurement of its kind across the public sector, bringing together multiple features which succeeded in making central government departments more accessible to new and small suppliers, driving innovation and delivering value for the taxpayer. This competition is a best practice case study for how public sector bodies can make full use of new public sector procurement regulations.

The New Hospital Programme is the largest healthcare infrastructure programme in NHS history, delivering over 40 new hospitals and modernising facilities nationwide. Early market engagement highlighted limited supplier appetite, capacity and capability to deliver complex hospital infrastructure at a national scale. In response, NHS England established the Hospital 2.0 Alliance Framework, a collaborative commercial model that moves away from traditional project-by-project contracting towards a long-term programme alliance. The procurement strengthened market confidence and attracted strong supplier participation, expanding the number of contractors capable of delivering major hospital projects and establishing a sustainable, scalable delivery model for building NHS hospitals.

Sponsored by NHS England, the NHS London Procurement Partnership (NHS LPP) Commercial Delivery Team (CDT), was commissioned to support Chesterfield and Derby with the procurement of their Electronic Patient Records (EPR) solution as part of the Frontline Digitisation EPR Programme. The initiative brought together University Hospitals of Derby and Burton and Chesterfield Royal Hospital to implement a single-instance EPR. With £175m in projected benefits against £72m in costs, the programme streamlined systems, enhanced data integration and improved patient safety, while increasing clinical efficiency and time spent on patient care, across the Integrated Care System.

The Kingston Model represents a radical commercial shift from a traditional approach to a £25m revenue-generating model. Faced with ageing infrastructure, Kingston moved beyond standard outsourcing to pioneer a model prioritising commercial resilience and public health. The team navigated complex HMRC regulatory shifts by engineering a unique contractual model, securing a VAT-efficient structure that unlocked critical financial benefits while providing a robust de-risking mechanism. This commercial legacy ensures leisure services remain a sustainable, high-quality cornerstone of civic life. As evidenced by partners, procurement excellence in Kingston is defined by professional courage, strategic partnership and delivering lasting community value.

Transport for London is setting the standard for low carbon transport by decarbonising one of the world’s largest urban transport networks through renewable energy leadership. Supplementing its work on utility-scale grid-connected PPAs, in February 2026 TfL announced the conclusion of its procurement for a Private Wire Delivery Partner. TfL’s innovative procurement model demonstrates how organisations can use their scale to accelerate renewables deployment and deliver lasting public value. This is the result of successfully linking the complexities of the London Underground’s power network with challenging energy markets, requiring the design of a flexible procurement in the most complex of environments.

Becky Moss is a high-impact supply chain leader in the highly regulated nuclear sector, accountable for over £250m in annual contracts and leading EDF'S facilities management and project works covering £100m of services across eight nuclear power stations. Starting as a Supply Chain Industrial Placement student, Becky progressed rapidly, achieving MCIPS by age 24. She excels in leading complex, cross-functional procurements and transformation programmes, driving simplification, accountability and strategic value and elevating supply chain’s influence and performance across EDF.

Brad Lawrence is a procurement professional focused on building high-performing functions that deliver strategic value to organisations. He currently leads procurement at Vintage Cash Cow, where he founded the procurement department and developed it into an agile, resilient and lean function aligned to the company’s growth ambitions. His work centres on driving innovation, optimising cost and value and strengthening supplier partnerships while embedding robust procurement processes. Brad positions procurement as a strategic enabler within the business, supporting cross-functional collaboration and sustainable decision-making. He is passionate about modernising procurement practices and creating functions that deliver measurable impact across the organisation.

Darjan Matovic is one of Ferrero’s fastest-rising supply chain talents. After completing his MSc at HEC Montréal, he joined Ferrero’s Graduate Program and grew his planning portfolio accountability from a €50m to a €700m scope. He expanded from one brand to ten, managing critical ranges produced internally and externally, and now coordinates the majority of Ferrero’s co-manufacturing volume. Demonstrating strong leadership, Darjan applied expertise gained from planning a recently acquired factory to help uplift co manufacturers’ capabilities. Known as a reliable reference for complex planning topics, Darjan collaborates with young colleagues to develop tools that improve decision-making.

Emily Sutton is a senior procurement professional in the public sector with nearly a decade of experience delivering complex, high-value procurement across healthcare and the Combined Authority. Currently a Senior Procurement Manager at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Emily is recognised for combining strong legislative expertise with a collaborative, stakeholder-focused approach. She has led strategic procurements, driven improvements in governance and compliance and played a key role in developing high-performing teams. Passionate about professional standards and talent development, Emily actively mentors colleagues and contributes to building a modern, capable procurement function.

At 28, Justin Ng has led and delivered procurement outcomes within the £6bn Defence Estate Optimisation Programme, with direct responsibility across a £650m public sector infrastructure portfolio, a £5.5m UK-wide corporate category, and a global circular economy platform generating £4m revenue. Working across public and private sectors, Justin has demonstrated commercial judgement, governance capability and stakeholder influence beyond typical expectations at his age. He was recently awarded MCIPS via the CIPS Management Entry Route, recognising professional delivery and leadership. Alongside complex delivery roles, Justin is committed to making procurement more accessible through inclusive practices, mentoring and knowledge sharing.

A dynamic and fast-rising procurement leader, Lorna Minter is Head of Procurement for Ingredients at a leading food manufacturer, achieving senior leadership level early in their career through rapid progression and consistent high performance. They lead a high-performing team and are recognised for transforming the procurement function, integrating NPD sourcing and strengthening strategic capability. Having successfully navigated complex global supply chain challenges, Lorna brings a decisive, energetic leadership style and a strong focus on collaboration and results. Passionate about driving sustainable change, they actively support ESG initiatives while delivering continuous improvement and long-term value across the business.

Paul Myers joined DP World as a procurement apprentice 3.5 years ago. Since then, he has earned a CIPS Level 4 Diploma with distinction, led the procurement of 44 electric vehicles to support DP World’s European decarbonisation programme, and delivered over £580,000 in savings on a 60,000 sq ft logistics fit-out – all by the age of 22. Now working towards MCIPS and the Advanced Practitioner Award, Paul combines technical procurement expertise with a genuine commitment to sustainability and early-career development. He speaks publicly about non-graduate routes into the profession. He is a procurement professional whose impact already outpaces his experience.