Our requirements

Our business can be varied and so can our procurement needs. Whatever may be required it is important that our procurement policy is adhered to.

Implementation and reporting of policy

In order to drive performance and ensure compliance with this policy Northumbrian Water aims to:

• Continually review procurement standards and decision making tools to ensure they address issues prioritised in this policy.
• Set long term objectives for prioritised commodities.
• Set targets for numbers of contractors and suppliers fully complying with our standards, and improving their environmental and social performance and report progress annually.
• Raise awareness among staff across the business, through communicating the policy and procedures as well as providing training as appropriate.
• Invite suppliers to identify improvement opportunities.
• Annually monitor contractors and key suppliers against delivery objectives, including social and environmental performance. We aim to support and work in partnership to address any performance failures, but where there is a consistent lack of improvement, suppliers will be de-listed or not have their contract renewed.
• Develop a ladder of excellence, to support continuous improvement of suppliers and contractors. This ladder will be used to assess performance, set performance targets for suppliers, and for percentage of suppliers reaching higher levels.
• Report progress annually.