Case Study for the Implementation of Feminine Hygiene Social Clauses

In December 2020, the Northern Ireland Executive (NIA) agreed to introduce a pilot scheme to make period products freely available to pupils in primary, secondary, special schools and Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) settings. The three-year pilot programme is expected to cost £2.6 million and is being delivered in partnership with the Department of Education (DE), the Education Authority (EA), the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and schools.
Education Minister McIlveen said:
“No-one should miss out on their education because they cannot afford or access these essential products. Providing free products will help pupils manage their periods confidently at school, reduce anxiety and stress and enable students to focus on their learning. The pilot will also tackle the lack of understanding and the stigma around periods which impacts negatively on young people.”

EA Commercial Procurement Services (CPS) assisted DE and the wider EA in establishing a contract to facilitate the introduction of the NIAs Period Dignity Policy. The new contract had the potential to deliver Programme of Governments commitment 1. “Our children and young people have the best start in life”. The availability of feminine hygiene products within schools also contributes to the EA’s strategic objective ‘to support children and young people in reaching their full potential’. It also contributes to the delivery of PPN01/21 with the inclusion of outcome based social clauses to derive the maximum sustainable value from the contract.

EA CPS team liaised with Strategic Investment Board’s (SIB) Social Value advisors to develop specific social value Contract Clauses in compliance with Procurement Policy Note ‘PPN 02/21 Procurement of Social and Other Specific Services’. The following targeted outcomes were deemed appropriate for the contract: -

• Business in education support designed to support the skills development of young people who are disadvantaged or at risk of social exclusion
• Obligations on the Contractor to take a proactive, environmental approach in the delivery of this Contract, which is designed to minimise harm to the environment.

In addition, this contract also contributes to PPN 02/21 as there was a requirement for the target outcome to provide:

• inclusion of social and micro enterprises in the contract’s supply chain

To ensure delivery of the social value outcomes CPS, DE, SIB and EA’s Contract Manager met regularly to discuss the implementation of the clauses and how the social and environmental clauses could be aligned to Period Dignity Project. The group assisted in considering innovative ideas for delivery of the social clauses and removing any barriers for delivery.

Currently spend on the contract is circa £270K with DE approving a further budget of £460K for the 22/23 financial year. To date, the contractor - John Preston Ltd. - has not only delivered 100% of Business in Education support but an additional 54% through the production of a careers video designed to be shared with schools to demonstrate the business skills and career development opportunities available with SMEs in Northern Ireland. John Preston Ltd. is currently developing literature to support the video, which will be shared with careers staff and business studies teachers in schools across Northern Ireland.

Over the next year of the contract, John Preston Ltd., CPS and the EA Business area have agreed to continue the delivery of social value through targeted work placements for young people in Northern Ireland who are disadvantaged or are at risk of social exclusion. John Preston Ltd. will commence engagement with local schools and plan to offer opportunities in a range of roles across the company’s administrative, depot, marketing, and IT support roles.

The feedback from the Period Dignity stakeholders’ group, which includes pupils, has seen the demand for more environmentally friendly products. John Preston Ltd. has submitted an Environmental Planning document which sets out the actions they are taking to minimise the Contract’s harm on the environment. These actions include establishing:

• processes and procedures to allow for the most environmentally and efficient method for packaging and distribution of their products e.g. small orders issued through Royal Mail in recycled packaging and larger orders issued by DPD couriers within recycled packaging.
• sourcing strategies that minimise any adverse effect on the environment and working with suppliers seeking to reduce environmental impact e.g. suppliers whose packaging is a 100% recyclable, and a supplier who has announced that they will donate 1% of their annual turnover to organisations which exist to protect the environment ‘Better Bleed’ Campaign.

The Contractor has expanded its supply base to include two social enterprises to ensure diversity in the supply chain and to offer opportunities for social enterprises to grow and support economic growth. The two social enterprises included in the supply chain of the contract to date are Haygirls and Femme-Tasse.com.

The Feminine Hygiene contract includes provision for four further 12-month extensions. John Preston Ltd. and EA will continue to implement the social clauses throughout this period to derive the maximum sustainable value from the contract for the benefit of children and young people to assist them to having the best start in life and reaching their full potential.

This contract is one example demonstrating how procurement can deliver EA strategic objectives, feed into the PfG outcomes and adhere to PPNs 01/21 and 02/21.