As EEM Ltd marks its eighth year as a limited company, the procurement consortium designed to support the public sector, will be distributing £250,000 to community groups across the country.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of social housing and EEM is celebrating with its members to highlight what a difference social housing has made to people’s lives over the past century. EEM will be sharing the quarter of a million pounds from its operating surplus between 90 of its members, who have all actively used the frameworks over the past year. Community Donations will range from a few hundred pounds to £25,000.
EEM formed as a limited company in September 2011 with the sole purpose of supporting public sector organisations, predominantly in the social housing sector, to obtain the best value products and services. Through a series of EU compliant frameworks and contracts, EEM is saving its members time and money.
As a not-for-profit company EEM remains as lean as possible. The team is paid local authority salaries, and receive no bonuses or benefits such as company cars. This ensures that any surplus is shared back with the communities it serves and nominated charities.
Since EEM became a limited company it has distributed a total of £1.3m to local communities and charities across the country, helping to support food banks, allotment and garden schemes, projects for children and the elderly, park improvement schemes, refurbishment of community centres and many more.
The team estimates that in its 10th year (2021) the community donations will total nearly £2m.
Chief Executive, Pete Smith, said: “It’s amazing to think of how much we have grown in the past eight years. On a day-to-day basis we are saving our members hundreds of thousands of pounds, but for me the real impact is through the money we are able to share with the communities our members serve.
“Over the years I have had the privilege of visiting many of the community groups and projects our surplus has been able to support. Seeing this real world impact means so much to me and the team. Our charitable donations through our events and annual awards ceremony, are another huge motivation for us all, and a fantastic by-product of the hard work the EEM team puts in every day to achieve the best value products and services for our members.”
EEM was formed with just five founding members who were all social housing providers in the East Midlands. At the end of its eighth year, it now stands proud with 165 members across the country with memberships now extending to wider public sector members, such as regional police forces, academies and hospital trusts.
The consortium has grown in strength, delivering comprehensive and EU compliant procurement processes for all its members. Over the past eight years, EEM has also reduced commissions from 6% to on average 1%, with a managed material price file which has saved members millions. This streamlined process works for the members and the supply chain.