Infrastructure services and construction expert Kier has launched a new tool to track its spend in areas of social deprivation across the UK. 

The tool, known as Local Multiplier 3 (LM3), has been developed by the New Economic Foundation and will aid the group’s ability to show and improve how it is supporting communities across the UK. 

LM3 measures Kier’s spend in areas with high levels of deprivation as defined by the Office of National Statistics. 

With the tool, Kier can track its local spend and also show the number of suppliers it has worked with in an area along with the employee count of the suppliers. 

This highlights how the spend is positively benefitting local communities and Kier can then work with clients to make sure future spend is effectively targeted. 

The need for public sector suppliers to demonstrate their contribution to driving social value has been a key part of local and central government procurement since the Social Value Act was passed in 2012 and the government’s Public Procurement Notice 06/20 (PPN 06/20) embeds this even further. 

The benefit of this tool for Kier and its clients is that teams can pinpoint their spend and highlight where their projects have helped provide jobs and driven local spend. 

Lisa Sanders, head of social sustainability at Kier Group, said: “At Kier, we are committed to supporting local communities across the UK. LM3 allows us to visually demonstrate the very real impact we are having through the projects we are delivering. 

“Working with the New Economic Foundation, LM3 is a first for the construction industry and will help us achieve our social purpose of tackling inequality by giving individuals and communities the tools and opportunities to create brighter futures. This tool allows us to better allocate our spend, to positively impact areas with the highest levels of deprivation across the UK.”

Adam Wilkinson, CEO at LM3 Online, added: “It is important to better understand the impact companies can have from all forms of spending and investment. Working with Kier to design and build this brand-new tool will positively impact the communities that need investment the most.”