The £1 billion University Challenge

The £1 billion University Challenge was launched on the 12 June 2012 at the University of Northampton's prestigious social enterprise reception at Westminster. The Challenge encourages the UK's Higher Education sector to spend at least £1 billion of the £7 billion per annum it spends on procuring goods and services from external suppliers, with social enterprises.

Buying from social enterprise suppliers means the Higher Education sector gets two things for the price of one - the university gets the product or service it requires, but it also helps deliver social value through the social enterprise. For example, one of Northampton's social enterprise partners, Goodwill Solutions, supplies office furniture to the university. Every time Northampton buys a desk from Goodwill, it gets the product it wants (at a very, very competitive price!) and Goodwill is able to continue to employ ex-offenders, thus contributing to a reduction in re-offending in the local area.

For more information, please email simon.denny@northampton.ac.uk