North East Procurement shortlisted for North East Business Award

A top North East procurement organisation has been nominated for a North East Business Award for its pioneering work in the local community.

North East Procurement (NEP) has been shortlisted in the Heart of the Community category in the 2014 Tyneside and Northumberland round of the North East Business Awards.

The Heart of the Community category celebrates excellence in corporate, social and ethical activity and seeks to identify those organisations that place social and community spirit at the core of their work.

Since it was founded in 2008, NEP has grown into an organisation that manages housing related procurement projects totaling around £50 million per annum, working with social housing providers across the North East collectively managing over 220,000 properties.

Designed to provide its members with products, materials or labour through OJEU compliant frameworks at highly competitive rates, a percentage of the money saved is invested into the organisation’s Future Sparks Fund- a dedicated resource to support various community and employability initiatives.

Over the past five years, the organisation has invested over £1.3 million into community projects ranging from identifying and removing barriers to employment,placing local trainees into paid work opportunities, investing in community mentors and supporting the development of heritage resource centres.

Tracey Peggie, Employment Initiatives Manager at NEP, said: “We are honoured to be shortlisted in the Heart of the Community category alongside several reputable organisations. NEP was created to not only bring efficiencies in procurement for our members, but to also support our communities with employability and regeneration initiatives.

“Being shortlisted is testament to the success we have had over the past five years and we are delighted to be recognised for our achievements.”

Winners will be announced at a ceremony at The Hilton Hotel, Gateshead on March 20. Winners from each sub-regional ceremony will then be entered into the grand regional final on May 1 at Hardwick Hall Hotel.