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YPO recently held a collaborative event with The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) hosted at our Wakefield headquarters. Dedicated to advancing the procurement and supply profession worldwide, CIPS is a global professional body representing the procurement and supply profession in many regions across the world. 

The breakfast briefing focused on the upcoming Procurement Act 2023 and saw procurement professionals from both the private and public sector in attendance, including representatives from Leeds Beckett University, the Home Office and Yorkshire Ambulance Services.

The presentation from Michelle Walker, YPO’s Head of Procurement discussed benefits of the reform, such as increased transparency and flexibility, alongside challenges including uncertainty and budget constraints in the short to mid-term while organisations adapt to new processes. 

During the event, attendees had the opportunity to network, exchange ideas and share insights and knowledge about procurement and their organisations.

The event concluded with a tour of YPO’s warehouse, showcasing the extensive range of products supplied to the public sector and educational organisations across the UK. The tour offered attendees a behind-the-scenes look at our logistics operations and distribution capabilities with attendees hosted by warehouse colleagues, including the Head of Logistics, Adrian Field. The tour coincided with the recent news of the operations team being shortlisted for an award for their diversity and inclusion efforts as part of a collaboration with Wakefield College.

Paul Clarke, CIPS Yorkshire Volunteer Branch Chair recently said 

“We'd like to thank YPO for hosting such an informative regional event, one that provided attendees with an excellent opportunity to gain value by networking with their peers; discuss the Procurement Act 2023; and see the YPO warehousing operations firsthand.”

Michelle Walker, Head of Procurement Services at YPO added "We’re pleased to have partnered with CIPS for this event, bringing together procurement professionals to discuss the Procurement Act 2023. The insights and discussions were invaluable in exploring both the opportunities and challenges of the new legislation. It was also a great chance to showcase our logistics operations and how we support public sector organisations across the UK."