We believe procurement can be a force for good building stronger communities, protecting the environment and creating fair opportunities for everyone.
Social value sits at the heart of PfH. It guides our decisions, shapes our partnerships and connects our people to something bigger than their day-to-day work.
At PfH, everything we do is rooted in a single purpose: to positively impact people’s lives. Our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) approach ensures this isn’t just a statement, but a measurable commitment – one that drives how we support our members, empower our people, strengthen communities, and protect our planet.
This approach brings our mission to life. It’s not new to us; it’s how we’ve always worked. We’ve simply become better at measuring it, reporting on it and pushing ourselves to do even more.
We align our ESG ambitions with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the global framework for tackling poverty, inequality and climate change. Whether we’re helping members reduce fuel poverty, create jobs through local supply chains or deliver more sustainable homes, our efforts contribute directly to the goals that matter most for communities and the environment.
We focus on what matters most: people, communities, responsible business and the environment. Together, these form the foundation of our social value strategy and our promise to keep procurement purposeful.
Our purpose is to have a positive impact on people's lives. Across PfH, our teams and partners give their time, creativity and energy to projects that make a real difference in communities across the UK.
People are at the heart of everything we do.
From volunteering and fundraising to wellbeing initiatives and inclusion programmes, we invest in the people who make PfH what it is and in the communities that surround us. Our team regularly takes time to volunteer, raise funds and support local charities across the UK.
At our PfH Live event, we raised £23,115.53 for Cash for Kids, helping to fund vital local initiatives that support children facing hardship. That money has now been turned into:
Each meal, session and smile was funded through collective effort; proof that when our sector comes together, communities thrive.
Social value extends through every link in our supply chain. We work with suppliers who share our values. Businesses that treat people fairly, support local employment, and take responsibility for their environmental footprint.
We’re proud of the relationships we’ve built with all organisations including small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), voluntary and community enterprises (VCSEs), and high and medium tech firms (HMTs). Our procurement solutions open the door to new opportunities, giving smaller suppliers a fair chance to compete and grow. They drive sustainable economic growth, benefitting local communities and raising living standards, and support our suppliers to do the same.
By helping our members access responsible partners, we make sure that the impact of every contract reaches far beyond the transaction.
Protecting the planet is part of how we do business.
We support our members and suppliers to reduce emissions, conserve resources and make sustainable choices. From frameworks focused on decarbonisation and retrofit to simple in-office changes that reduce waste and save energy, we’re taking practical steps toward a low-carbon future. We’ve achieved a 3% drop in carbon emissions per employee this year, and saw 157 office lights replaced, saving 23036 kwh units/year.
Across our supply chain, we champion circular practices, recycling, reusing and rethinking how materials are sourced and managed. Procurement might start with a specification, but it can end with real environmental progress.
Nine of our colleagues recently joined forces with Manchester City of Trees to help restore green spaces in Trafford. Together, they tackled invasive Himalayan balsam, cleared ground for wildflowers, and created space for young ash trees to grow. It was a sunny, muddy, joy-filled day that reminded us how small actions add up for nature, for people, and for the environment.
We hold ourselves to the same standards we expect of others – paying suppliers on time, always within 30 days, and maintaining fair, transparent relationships across our supply chain.
Accountability runs through everything we do, from robust data policies and inclusive hiring to swift complaint handling and respectful, responsive management. Transparency and fairness are at the heart of our governance approach, ensuring every decision stands up to scrutiny and supports the long-term interests of our members and communities. Equity, Diversity & Inclusion are embedded through refreshed recruitment practices and ongoing training.
We’re proud of the culture we’ve built: open, diverse, and guided by integrity. For us, responsible business isn’t a policy – it’s how we operate.
We’re proud of how far we’ve come but we’re even more focused on what’s next.
In the coming years, we’ll continue to expand our social value reporting through Quantum, our data and insight platform. Members will be able to track and evidence ESG impact directly from their own procurement activity turning good intentions into measurable outcomes.
We’re also committed to deepening our partnerships with suppliers who share our vision for sustainability, investing in community initiatives that reflect our people’s passions, and driving toward our goal of becoming a net-zero business.
The Procurement Act 2023 may have brought social value more into the spotlight but at PfH we are committed to weave it into everything we do and always make procurement a force for good.
