Richmond Council is set to implement new measures to monitor and address violence against women and girls (VAWG) within its procurement contracts, a move that has been welcomed by councillors.
The Finance, Policy and Resources Committee, which met on Thursday, January 15, 2026, received an update on the council's procurement activities. As part of the council's commitment to social value, a locally-based indicator focused on VAWG has been developed and will be included in future contract specifications.
Mark Glaister, Assistant Director for Procurement, explained that this new indicator would be mandated for all contractors. He added that contractors would be signposted to external web pages for additional training and resources related to VAWG issues. This indicator can be mandated into all contracts, and contractors will be provided with information regarding VAWG issues.
Councillor Katie Mansfield, Richmond Town Centre Project Lead Member and White Ribbon Champion, welcomed the inclusion of VAWG in the social value toolkit. She also suggested that the government's social value consultation should incorporate a metric on VAWG to drive national change.
The report highlighted that 100% of Procurement Board reports have included provision for at least 10% social value, and that a dedicated social value monitoring officer is in place to develop case studies and monitor commitments. The council's commitment to social value is further demonstrated by the presence of a dedicated social value monitoring officer tasked with developing case studies and tracking commitments.
The Finance, Policy and Resources Committee meeting agenda and associated documents can be found on the Richmond Council website. Agenda frontsheet, Public reports pack, Item 6 - Richmond Procurement Update 2026 - 2027.
