The newly agreed Highland Community Benefit Policy will ensure that community benefits are routinely considered during procurement. Clauses are to be included in all works, goods, and services frameworks or contracts, where it is proportionate and relevant to do so.

Cllr Graham MacKenzie, Communities and Place chair, said: “One of the key visions of the organisation is to be sustainable. This policy will secure commitments from suppliers which will have a longer lasting and positive impact in our thriving communities. The council is still facing significant financial challenges and therefore it is important to maximise community benefits through our procurement process.”

Community benefits through procurement are requirements agreed or offered by suppliers when bidding for contracts. These deliver a wider social benefit in ‘addition’ to the core purpose of the contract.

He added: “An additional consideration is how we can facilitate the involvement of small and medium enterprises, third sector organisations, and supported businesses in the procurement process. We aim to achieve this through a series of development opportunities locally through the Supplier Development Programme, but also by giving consideration to breaking down large contracts into lots, sub-contracting and expanding our local supply chains within our procurement activities.”

The council will continue its engagement with its stakeholders to implement the policy by December 2024 across all its services.