Value Beyond Profit - Purpose Driving Performance March 2027

Exploring how buying local and collaboration can create value for people, planet and profit. Value Beyond Profit – Purpose Driving Performance The discussions explored how businesses can create value that extends beyond financial performance, considering the wider impact of their decisions on people, communities and the planet. 2:00pm - Why Buying Local Matters The discussion examined the wider economic and social value created when businesses and consumers choose local suppliers, producers and service providers. Buying locally can help keep money circulating within communities, support local employment and entrepreneurship, and contribute to stronger and more resilient local economies. The conversation also considered the potential environmental benefits of shorter supply chains and more sustainable production, while highlighting the role that everyday purchasing decisions can play in shaping the communities in which we live and work. The central message was that buying local is about more than where money is spent – it is about recognising the wider economic, social and environmental value that purchasing decisions can create. 3:30pm - The Power of Collaboration The second discussion explored how collaboration between businesses, communities, charities, public-sector organisations and other partners can create value that no single organisation could achieve alone. The conversation highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge, expertise and resources to address complex challenges, encourage innovation and create opportunities for more inclusive and sustainable growth. The discussion also recognised that successful collaboration requires trust, communication and shared objectives. While partnerships can involve different priorities and challenges, working together can unlock new opportunities and generate greater long-term impact. The Bigger Picture Together, the discussions reinforced the principle of the Triple Bottom Line – People, Planet and Profit. The message was that commercial success and positive social and environmental outcomes do not have to be competing priorities. By making more purposeful purchasing decisions, supporting local businesses and building stronger partnerships, organisations can contribute to resilient economies and communities while creating sustainable value for their own businesses. Value beyond profit means looking not only at what a business makes, but at the difference it makes.