‘Teamwork makes the dream work’. This has certainly never been truer than in the case of adopting a collaborative approach to PPE procurement.
However, when your business has multiple stakeholders, each with varying ideas on requirements and budgets, or even conflicting interests, it can be difficult to get wider business buy-in where all parties are kept happy and in agreement.
What is Collaborative Procurement?
At Bunzl Greenham we specialise in forging closer, more mutually beneficial parternships between buyers and suppliers to ensure high quality quality goods and services and keep costs down. Above all else, it ensures a safer environment that fully meets compliance requirements.
Bunzl Greenham Account Manager, Tracey Hamilton, has been instrumental in helping her customers secure union approval for protective garments and select the appropriate FR/ARC clothing.
Tracey explains: “Working collaboratively builds trust with our customers, simplifies processes, and ensures safety solutions that truly protect and support everyone involved. This is just another example of the Bunzl Greenham difference.”
“At Bunzl Greenham, we pride ourselves on offering more than just products – we provide tailored, solution-based services designed to meet our customers’ unique needs.”
Here are some of the ways we work collaboratively
Stakeholder involvement: Our collaborative approach includes forming a committee of stakeholders. This way, we can proactively offer solutions and select products that meet the needs of everyone. With buy-in across different teams, it becomes easier to work towards standardising PPE products across your organisation which simplifies procurement, ensures consistency and saves money.
Find out how else you can save time and money in PPE procurement
Shared goals: We care as much about improving the wellbeing and safety of your people as you do. Which is why we have an absolute commitment to reliability. If you or your buyers need more information on safety compliance requirements, we are here tomadvise and consult. We can even include end manufacturers in those conversations for extra peace of mind.
Many of our customers share our interest in tackling the environmental impact of PPE equipment, which is why we focus on safety solutions that protect both people and the planet.
Open communication: Our national network of UK Service Centres provide an in-person point of contact for those all-important face-to-face conversations. For projects that require more regular contact, or somewhere to keep documents in on place, we can use a messaging service like Teams. We’re happy to work however you need.
Training and support: We have a range of solutions and software that can make your PPE more seamless. For example, our Advantage platform makes online ordering easier and our P2P integration capability gives you unparalleled procurement power. We recognise implementing software is just one part of the process and always make sure our customers can use the platforms independently and confidently. We conduct training sessions that cover how to fully utilise the system, including training or administrative staff on accessing invoices, proof of deliveries, and site spend reporting.
Performance metrics: To drive meaningful improvements, understanding your data is essential. We assist businesses in reducing their carbon impact, starting with an assessment of their environmental footprint. Our Carbon Forecast tools simplifies this process by generating clear reports that allow you to evaluate the carbon footprint linked to processing and delivering each order.
Long-term relationships: Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we beleive this is a key factor in our success. By building trust and strong working relationships many of our customers, including Taylor Wimpey, Heathrow Airport and City of London Corporation, have partnered with us for over a decade.
Making collaboration easy: Our proven experience
Building a Better Supply Chain with Taylor Wimpey
Taylor Wimpey needed a partner to bring consistency across 26 business units with decentralised buying departments, consolidating supplies from 36 different suppliers and reducing non-contractual spend generated through petty cash and purchase cards.
We made sure to involve all key stakeholders from the very beginning, working closely with Taylor Wimpey’s Corporate Account Manager and Customer Success Teams to fully understand their needs. Our priority was to make the process as easy as possible. We developed custom product catalogues tailored to specific job roles and implemented an ordering hierachy to streamline purchasing.
To keep things running smoothly, we put in place a clear implementation plan, held regular stakeholder meetings twice a week, and created a centralised Teams page for updates. With regular drop-in sessions, we ensured that all voices were heard and any concerns were addressed swiftly.
As a result, Taylor Wimpey now has full control over their supply chain, with highly engaged stakeholders and a product range that’s fit for purpose, ensuring that only the necessary items are purchasing for each task.
Could your PPE procurement process benefit from a different strategy?
Speak with one of our team about how our collaborative approach to procurement could save you time and money, and keep your people safer.
Get in touch by sending us a message online or calling your nearest Service Centre.
