Procurement Skills Accord | Energy Sector Procurement

Procurement Skills Accord

The Procurement Skills Accord is driving a step change by embedding skills development in procurement, in turn increasing supply chain investment and creating a sustainably skilled sector workforce.

Procurement skills acord

Procurement Skills Accord: What Is It?

The Procurement Skills Accord is an initiative to promote investment in training and skills development through procurement practices.

Developed and led by the Energy & Utilities Skills Partnership, the aim of the Accord is to create a sustainably skilled sector workforce, by recognising those who invest in skills through procurement processes and rewarding suppliers in doing so. A skilled and sustainable workforce is vital to address industry risks, such as an ageing workforce and adjacent sector attraction, whilst our infrastructure projects are reliant on having the right technical skills at the right time.

The Accord can help address these needs:

  1. Provides key metrics on skills development to enable supply chain collaboration
  2. Drives investment in skills development through procurement
  3. Raises the standard of technical capability and capacity development to build sustainability

The Five Commitments

The Procurement Skills Accord has five robust and challenging commitments that require signatory companies to ensure that responsible procurement practices are used to drive investment in skills development.

Not all of the 5 Commitments are applicable to everyone, and this will depend on your organisation type:

Partner – Typically Asset Owners and Tier 1 organisations, who have a substantial technical labour-based supply chain in the energy and utility sector

Supplier – Typically Tier 2 organisations, who don’t have a technical labour-based supply chain in the energy and utility sector

The 5 CommitmentsPartnerSupplier
COMMITMENT 1: To address sector-wide skills gaps and shortages. Contribute to 12.5% sector target, based on company’s training and skills development requirements.
Yes
Yes
COMMITMENT 2: To promote signing up to the Accord through the supply chain. Engage with and encourage suppliers, clients or peers to become signatories and provide support where required.
Yes
N/A
COMMITMENT 3: To promote relevant skills development across the supply chain through procurement. Develop and deliver responsible procurement practices through supply chain on skills delivery
Yes
N/A
COMMITMENT 4: To continuously improve performance. Continuous improvement of signatories’ sustainable procurement and workforce development practices
Yes
Yes
COMMITMENT 5: To monitor and report. Annual review and reporting of company and sector performance
Yes
Yes

Who Is It For?

UK-based companies with employees involved in operational and technical activities within the energy and utility sector.


What are the Benefits?

    • Gain insight of how suppliers support a sustainably skilled workforce through supplier reporting. For Suppliers, demonstrate to new and prospective clients your workforce resilience and commitment to a skilled and sustainable workforce
    • Understand common challenges and collaborate to develop solutions
    • Mitigate against project failure and additional costs by embedding skills development in procurement processes
    • Drive time and cost efficiencies in procurement, by recognising those who invest in skills
    • Reduce risk of project failure by strengthening supply chain competency and capability
    • Align your values with your supply chain to work towards a common goal of sustainable skills
    • Benchmark your own company performance against the Compliance Criteria and industry best practice
    • Inclusion in relevant Procurement Skills Accord marketing/PR campaigns
    • Network and collaborate with other signatories via workshops on common sector issues
    • Invitation to the annual Best Practice & Award event, which celebrates the achievements of signatories, as well as honours the organisations who successfully achieve the PSA Award.

How To Sign Up

Organisations sign up on an annual basis between 01 April and 31 March each year to become a signatory to the Procurement Skills Accord.

Registrations are now open for the April 2023-March 2024 Procurement Skills Accord. Follow the below steps to sign up:

  1. Complete the relevant application form and submit, along with a Purchase Order number for the annual fee, to skillsaccord@euskills.co.uk. Application forms and the annual fees can be found here.
  2. Once received, you will:
    • Receive access to our exclusive Signatory Area which holds our supporting documentation, guidance and webinars, which range from providing guidance on the Procurement Skills Accord, the Annual Review process and Continuous Improvement.
    • Receive invites to any Procurement Skills Accord upcoming events/webinars, including our Annual Best Practice & Award Event.
    • Have your company name added to our Signatory List, demonstrating your commitment to supporting and working towards a sustainable workforce in the energy and utility sector.

The window to sign up in 2023/24 closes 30 September 2023.


Procurement Skills Accord Flyer

To read more about the Procurement Skills Accord, please download our flyer.


Procurement Skills Accord Signatory Area

To sign in to the Signatory Area and access exclusive documents, click here.


Find Out More

For more information on the Procurement Skills Accord and how it can benefit your organisation, please contact skillsaccord@euskills.co.uk