Beyond lowest cost: the new priorities shaping housing procurement

For Magnet, that sits at the heart of Better with Magnet, our environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy focused on four pillars: better homes, better communities, better opportunities and a better planet.

We have reduced operational emissions by 79% since 2016 and now use renewable electricity across our production facilities and stores. Social value is equally important, and our new partnership with Trussell Trust will help create more focused and measurable community impact.

What should housing associations be looking for from suppliers to help meet their ESG and social value obligations?

Housing associations should look for measurable ESG outcomes, including emissions data, responsible sourcing and whole-life value. For Magnet, that starts with the materials we use. All our timber comes from FSC-certified sources, while partners such as panel manufacturer Kronospan are helping increase recycled content across the industry.

But ESG is also about people and communities. Suppliers should also show how they will support local jobs, skills and community projects in ways that can be tracked through the contract.

We build this into all project-led partnerships through volunteering, kitchen donations, mentoring and employability support. Across our 1,600-strong workforce, we’ve launched a volunteering programme with the potential to contribute more than 12,000 hours to communities nationwide each year.

You’re developing a circular approach to kitchen supply. What would it take to scale this across the sector?

Circularity has to be built into the whole supply chain, not treated as something that happens after an old kitchen has been stripped out. For us, it means challenging the traditional ‘rip out and replace’ model and finding ways to recover, reuse and recycle materials at scale. That is why we’re working with partners including Jewson and Kronospan to explore this approach.

The ambition is for Magnet to supply the new kitchen, for the old kitchen to be removed and recycled, and ultimately for that material to help form part of the next kitchen produced. 

In today’s challenging environment, what does a resilient and effective partnership between housing providers and suppliers look like?

Resilient partnerships are built on transparency, shared goals and long-term commitment. Housing providers need suppliers who will engage early, share data openly and work with them to manage risk and solve problems as programmes change. The strongest relationships are those where both sides act as strategic partners, not just customer and supplier.

That is what Better with Magnet is about: helping partners create better homes, stronger communities and a more sustainable future. We’ll also be at Housing 2026 and would welcome conversations with partners about the challenges facing the sector.

And, in the spirit of partnership, please look out for our stand at the conference, where we’ll be collecting food donations for our charity partner, Trussell Trust.