Overview:
Sanctuary Group owns and manages over 125,000 homes, making it one of the largest not-for-profit social housing and care providers in the UK. Established over 50 years ago, Sanctuary remains guided by its mission: to build affordable homes and sustainable communities where people choose to live.
Sanctuary offers a range of housing options, including retirement communities, homes for first-time buyers, and family homes, as well as technology-enabled living solutions and care homes. Sanctuary is also involved in building affordable homes and regenerating communities.
For more information, please visit www.sanctuary.co.uk
Partnering with LSC:
Sanctuary Group first partnered with Local Supply Chain (LSC) in 2019. Sanctuary aimed to establish several construction-related supply chains to support an ambitious five-year expansion plan. This initiative involved engaging 50 contractors from various locations and sectors, along with 200 professional services and a supply chain of over 4,000 suppliers. The arrangements needed to accommodate multiple departments across the organisation, each requiring the ability to ‘call off’ services and work efficiently from the approved supplier lists.
LSC and Sanctuary collaborated to establish five supply chains that supported these teams across disciplines such as new build, responsive repairs, and maintenance.
Since then, Sanctuary has adapted its approach, with LSC continuing to support the launch of the ConstructDPS (https://www.constructdps.co.uk/) and, more recently, the BuildDPS. These dynamic purchasing systems offer greater flexibility, removing traditional barriers to entry and opening access to a broader market. Suppliers and contractors are now invited to apply and work with Sanctuary through a more agile and inclusive procurement process, benefiting both buyers and suppliers.
Sanctuary set an ambitious goal of reaching 1,000 active suppliers on the ConstructDPS within six months of launch, a target that was successfully achieved. Today, the ConstructDPS is actively utilised across Sanctuary, offering a dynamic, flexible, and streamlined procurement process.
Mark Ridge, Procurement Manager at Sanctuary, comments:
“The Construct DPS and Build DPS mark a significant shift from our traditional framework routes, offering greater flexibility for both Sanctuary and the contractors we work with. The aim is to make the frameworks flexible and accessible for contractors and suppliers to collaborate with Sanctuary, while maintaining high standards of compliance and delivery.
Working with LSC has played a vital role in helping us achieve these goals and has been crucial in streamlining our procurement processes. Consequently, we’ve seen increased efficiency and more competitive, well-refined tender responses from our supply chain. The platform has enabled us to expand our reach, sourcing and engaging with suppliers we might not have otherwise connected with. It’s extremely user-friendly and simplifies our daily activities, providing essential oversight and governance across our supply chain, whether for large-scale or smaller projects, helping us manage risk and ensure accountability.
The benefits for contractors and suppliers are also evident: by pre-qualifying for the frameworks and specific lot criteria, individual call-offs will include only those with the right capability and capacity, aligning more closely with a two-stage tender process.”
Founded in 2016, Local Supply Chain (LSC) was established with a clear vision: to encourage collaboration and engagement within the construction industry. Partnering with a public sector construction framework, LSC launched in the Midlands and quickly expanded across the UK. The response was remarkable; within just one year, several thousand businesses signed up, eager to embrace a new, sustainable way of working.
LSC is now the leading supply chain and procurement platform for the UK and Ireland. The platform has grown into a trusted resource for over 30,000 active users, managing projects and procurements worth more than £3 billion. LSC’s mission remains unchanged: to simplify supply chain management while fostering strong connections that drive success throughout the industry.
Richard Ratcliffe, CEO at LSC, comments:
“We are extremely grateful to Sanctuary for their partnership and the trust they’ve placed in LSC. From the start, they’ve been a committed and collaborative team, fully embracing the platform to maximise its value and impact. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside a client so focused on innovation and continuous improvement. We genuinely feel like an extension of their team and have enjoyed a strong, productive relationship, one we’re excited to continue building on in the years ahead.”
Statistics to date: Sanctuary users: 100, Projects: 650, Tenders: 1079.