Helping trusts approach procurement with purpose

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A new partnership between the Confederation of School Trusts and procurement experts Value Match is aimed at helping trusts make smarter decisions when buying goods and services.

School trusts have a duty to get the best value when spending public funds, but that doesn’t automatically just mean the lowest price.

As important institutions in their local communities, trusts also need to buy responsibly and take into account the wider impacts of how they spend, ensuring they act in a sustainable way – not just environmentally, but economically and socially.

Working with Value Match, CST will help follow best practice in this area and ensure that trusts are aware of new rules on public procurement due to go live from February.

The new partnership is part of the Confederation’s Platinum Partner scheme, which brings together leading education-focused organisations and CST’s members, together responsible for the education of more than 3.5 million young people.

CST Chief Executive Leora Cruddas CBE said: “School trusts have led the way in buying goods and services in innovative ways, so that pupils get the most from the public funding we are guardians of. Sometimes that is about raw cost but there is a civic dimension too: trusts are part of their communities, and it is right our wider values are reflected in our procurement approaches.”

Value Match Chief Executive David Shields said: “Procurement is about more than just money – it is also about sustainability, diversity, and social impact. But it can also be a complex technical and legal issue. We look forward to working with CST to help members understand their options, so they can confidently build a compliant and responsible approach to procurement.”

Notes to editors:

About the Confederation of School Trusts

The Confederation of School Trusts is the sector body and national organisation for school trusts, with almost three million children educated in our member schools and academy trusts. We help shape the education policy agenda by speaking on their behalf, bringing together frontline education experts from across the country. We work to drive real, strategic, change for education on the big issues that matter most.

About Value Match

Value Match is a purpose driven organisation dedicated to delivering ethical and sustainable procurement solutions that empower school trusts and the wider education sector. By aligning with regulatory and sustainability goals, Value Match ensures every procurement drives positive social value, operational efficiency, and improved educational outcomes.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: [January, 2025]

[Brian Martin]
[Value Match]
[07951 703 111]
[brian.martin@value-match.co.uk]