“Buying Social Justice” Through Procurement Research on the Use of Public Procurement for Advancing Employment Equality in the UK: Expert Interviews and Survey Data, 2021-2023

The data collection includes interviews with key experts and responses to a survey of procurement officers. In order to gain contextual information on the practice of social procurement in England, Wales and Scotland, 33 expert interviews were conducted with a range of individuals, from commissioning organisations and their representative bodies covering local authorities, housing associations and higher education institutions; policy makers; representatives of construction contractors; framework providers; equality experts with an interest in procurement; procurement and social value consultants and legal experts; and civil society organisations, including trade unions. The interviewees included experts in Scottish, Welsh, English and UK-wide procurement and equality practice.
A survey was conducted to establish the extent of the inclusion of employment equality objectives within public procurement, as well as the motivations, processes and outcomes of using social procurement. Responses were received from 109 procurement officers in local authorities, housing associations and higher education institutions, plus some others, across England, Wales and Scotland.