To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Scott, H Zaman, Masood Ahmed, Hussain, Moore, A Zaman, Anwar, Darwan and Daji;
“This Council notes:
1) That the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee considered updates to the Council’s Procurement Strategy, including elements relating to ethical procurement, on 14 November 2025 (Agenda Item 9), and that these proposals are now scheduled for consideration by Cabinet in December 2025.
2) That the UK Government and the United Nations have both recognised that human rights due diligence is a core component of responsible business conduct and public sector accountability.
3) That the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) provide internationally recognised frameworks for governments for ethical sourcing, investment, and supply-chain due diligence.
4) That Section 26 and 27 of the Procurement Act 2023 sets out discretionary exclusion grounds.
5) That several UK local authorities, including Oxford City Council, North Somerset Council and others have strengthened their investment frameworks to ensure that public funds are not used to support companies implicated in serious human rights violations or breaches of international law.
This Council believes:
1) That Kirklees Council has a responsibility to ensure that all procurement, commissioning, and investment decisions reflect its stated values on equality, justice and human rights.
2) That taxpayers’ money must not support organisations or companies that are complicit in, or benefit from, breaches of international humanitarian law or international human rights standards, including (but not limited to) violations occurring in occupied territories, apartheid systems, forced labour contexts, or other internationally recognised abuses.
3) 3. That ethical procurement and ethical investment are not only moral imperatives but also form part of robust risk management, reducing exposure to reputational harm, financial instability, and supply-chain vulnerabilities.
4) That while Scrutiny has reviewed proposals related to ethical procurement, these do not yet fully align with (i) the UNGPs (ii) the UN PRI (iii) the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 (iv) modern social value standards (v) net-zero and environmental duties or (vi) contemporary expectations around transparency, due diligence, and supply-chain accountability.
This Council therefore resolves to:
a. Request that Cabinet review and strengthen the Council’s Investment and Procurement Strategies so that they (i) remain fully compliant with the Procurement Act 2023, including the statutory objectives on integrity, transparency, maximising public benefit, and removing barriers for SMEs and VCSEs and (ii) integrate modern requirements on social value, net-zero commitments, climate impact, and supply-chain transparency.
b. Request that Cabinet bring forward a fully updated and comprehensive Ethical Procurement and Investment Policy for adoption, to include clear governance arrangements for (i) implementation (ii) monitoring (iii) reporting (iv) supplier conduct checks (v) ethical investment screening and (vi) risk management and escalation processes.
c. Mandate that all Council contracts, commissioned services and financial investments be reviewed against the updated Ethical Procurement and Investment Policy, with a full progress report brought to Cabinet within six months of its adoption.
d. Reaffirm this Council’s commitment to transparency, ethical stewardship and responsible use of public resources, ensuring that public money is managed in a way that strengthens human rights, promotes social and economic justice, and upholds the values of this Council and the communities it serves.”
Decision:
Motion approved.