The UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has claimed overall victory in the CIPS Supply Management Awards Europe 2018.
DWP was praised for the development of a dynamic purchasing system for training services that speeded up the buying process and opened the market to SMEs.
The project, which gave buyers access to a bank of bids via a user-friendly platform from which they could rapidly generate a shortlist and appoint a preferred supplier, also earned DWP Most Innovative Use of Technology. First year headcount and efficiency savings totalled more than £1m.
Judges said: “An innovative and impressive project with massive benefits, in a well-presented and clear entry.”
The awards, in association with ProcureCon Europe, were presented at a black-tie ceremony at the Corinthia Hotel in Prague, the Czech Republic, at the ProcureCon Europe conference.
Chair of judges Fabienne Lesbros, CPO at The Co-operative Group, said: “There was a lot of innovative thinking, linked to very innovative projects.
“People are thinking outside the box, and in very different ways. Which does not surprise me because of the number of different countries which entered the competition.”
Cath Hill, group director at CIPS and host for the evening, said: “Congratulations once again to all of our worthy winners. It was a fantastic evening celebrating the most innovative and creative procurement projects.”
The winners in full
Overall winner
UK Department for Work and Pensions
Best Contribution to Corporate Responsibility
Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri AŞ
Best Cross-Functional Teamwork Project
AB Sugar
Best People Development Initiative
Ecolab
Best Process Improvement Initiative
Capgemini
Best Procurement Consultancy Project
CKW Group and Flowdays
Best Supplier Relationship Management
WSP
Most Improved Procurement Operation – Start Up
Lloyds
Most Improved Procurement Operation – Step Change
Vodafone
Most Innovative Use of Technology
UK Department for Work and Pensions
CIPS Young Procurement and Supply Professional of the Year
Kaushik Yathindra Kumar, HSBS
CIPS Procurement & Supply Professional of the Year
Levent Topçu, Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri AŞ
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