4C specialises in sourcing/procurement and supply chain management, with extensive capabilities and experience in the healthcare and medical supplies. We are able to access large quantities of materials, including PPE, chemicals for sanitiser manufacturing and so on.
We have a specialist team engaged by the Royal Free Trust in London and currently working across 4 hospitals (Royal Free, UCL, Whittington, Moorfields) on their PPE supply chains to maximise availability of the right equipment at the ward level as demand surges over the coming weeks. We have built the detailed capability to do this which could be applied immediately to other hospitals and trusts.
We are committed to supporting our clients and wider networks in anyway that we can during this tough time so please reach out with any questions or concerns all of us at 4C will be happy to talk.
Stay safe and stay home
We thrive on variety, love a challenge and are passionate about helping our clients fix their problems. We combine the extensive knowledge and experience of our people with the latest process and technology innovations to provide our clients with transformative solutions with sustainable results.
Our teams of industry experts and seasoned procurement practitioners work together to provide clients with levels of knowledge and insight they rarely have in-house. This depth of practical experience means we know when to apply tried-and-tested solutions and when it’s time to challenge convention.
We take a personal approach to each client relationship that allows us to really hear what their business needs and understand exactly how to tailor our approach and solutions.
We move fast while remaining agile so we can respond to feedback, new ideas and changing circumstances.
Our aim is to develop true partnerships with our clients and work closely together to grow their business.
Collaboration is also key to the effectiveness of our internal teams, whether that means coming together to resolve client issues quickly or collaborating to achieve our individual, team and company goals.
We are a forward-thinking company, always ready to adopt fresh ideas and new technologies but only if they can enhance our ability to deliver real results for our clients. Our open-mindedness extends to how we partner with each client, giving us a flexibility that ensures our solutions always meet the specific business needs.
Simon is one of the most experienced procurement services leaders in Europe. He previously led IBM’s European Operations and Supply Chain practice. He is a true thought leader and one of the UK’s premier experts in procurement. He brings strong skills in relationship building and project delivery in a range of industries.
Rohit has a wealth of experience in both logistics and consultancy, and has held several key finance positions throughout his career. In addition he has extensive experience in Mergers & Acquisitions and is a LEAN expert. Rohit is ACCA qualified and has a MBA in Finance from Oxford Brooks University.
Jeremy has over 20 years of experience in procurement with a focus on savings delivery, transformation and change management. During this time he has delivered major international savings projects, transforming organisations outputs from, and approaches to, procurement in the Retail, Oil & Gas, Financial Services and Public sectors. He has a particular focus on Private Equity owned organisations.
Mark Ellis has a wealth of knowledge and experience surrounding the procurement operating model, transformation, P2P optimisation, supplier engagement, savings delivery and managed services. With over 31 years’ experience in procurement and supply chain services in various demanding line, consultancy and project roles, in his Partner role, Mark helps drive transformational change for 4C’s clients.
With over 15 years of experience and strong expertise in procurement technology and advanced analytics, Steve leads 4C’s development team which is focused on developing innovative software solutions to improve insight and release value from the procurement process. Steve has extensive experience in delivering sustainable cost reduction and EBITDA improvement programmes.
A proven leader in Procurement and Supply Chain transformation with extensive experience in Telecoms, Manufacturing, Banking and Finance sectors. A recognised expert in the training & deployment of strategic category management with a real intuition for 'what works', layering pragmatic solutions to achieve business goals.
Chris Herbert has significant experience in project management, leading procurement functions consulting engagements, with 25 years of experience of line management and consultancy across multiple business sectors. Chris has strong leadership skills and a proven track record delivering sustainable value. Chris has successfully handled spends in excess of £250m and teams across 12 countries.
Gavin has over 14 years of consulting experience in procurement and supply chain, specialising in transformation and cost reduction in Retail, Consumer Products and Hospitality sectors. He has lead the transformation of FTSE 100 procurement functions and delivered savings from direct and indirect spend categories, taking an end to end value chain approach to reduce cost and improve margin.
Our depth and breadth of industry expertise ensures we can deliver effective business results across a wide range of sectors. We work with forward-thinking businesses who want to collaborate closely and implement long-term sustainable improvements together.
Our team’s vast range of senior experience at consumer goods and retail businesses gives us a unique understanding of the sector’s challenges.
We help consumer products companies improve EBITDA by optimising cost structures and transforming sourcing functions.
We also work with leading retailers to maximise commercial performance through buying better and improve value delivery throughout the product chain, from raw material to consumption and disposal. Combining our knowledge of retail operations as well as our experience with consumer products organisations allows us to optimize the entire value chain through alignment and collaboration.
Our 4SCAN tool and data partnership with Mintec allows us to provide commercial insight and advice on your direct materials and/or ingredient sourcing / product formulations in order to enhance profitability from your supply chain, whilst protecting your customers and the consumers.
We use our 4RISK tool to proactively identify higher-risk suppliers within your value chain so you can develop mitigation strategies that safeguard your business.
We focus on indirect spend areas such as marketing, logistics, MRO and factory ops, using tools and benchmarks to recommend rapid and sustainable cost reduction across your organisation.
Our Control > Optimise > Transform framework of improvement levers and bespoke 4SPEND analytics service will identify and implement improvements to your operations that reduces risk while protecting or enhancing the offer to your customer or the consumer.
4C will help your business develop agile strategies for the provision of in-house indirect procurement across four key foundations: People, Process, Systems and Structure.
We can run procurement delivery for as many of your indirect spend categories as needed to help your business focus resources on commercial areas that have a greater impact on your growth and profitability. Often managed on a balanced scorecard approach, linked to commercial delivery, performance improvements and our relationship-based delivery, we take away the noise and give you back savings to re-invest in growth.
4C’s Public Sector team’s extensive knowledge and Chief Executive-level experience gives us a deep understanding of the sector’s rapidly changing nature, how to make the most of the opportunities that exist with the statutory regulations and the importance of customer, cost and culture.
We help public sector organisations across Central Government, Local Authorities and the Health Sector improve front and back office services across their organisations. We also work with internal and external stakeholders and 3rd party suppliers to ensure total cost of ownership for the tax payer and the public purse.
4C are successfully on Consultancy 1, Consultancy2 and GCloud 11 frameworks.
Insight-As-A-Service combines 4C’s procurement knowledge and public sector expertise with cutting-edge data analytics powered by AI and machine learning. Our light-touch integration process will allow your business to quickly identify opportunities to manage cost more effectively.
We focus on indirect spend areas such as IT, facilities management, consultancy and resource management using tools and benchmarks to recommend rapid and sustainable cost reduction across your organisation.
Our Control > Optimise > Transform framework of improvement levers and bespoke 4SPEND analytics service will identify and implement improvements to your operations that reduces risk while protecting or enhancing the offer to your customer or the consumer.
We use a range of customised tools to manage, track and deliver robust and sustainable savings programmes, while systematically reviewing opportunities on the demand and supply side. Our familiarity with the OJEU process can deliver tangible cost efficiencies and more effective service delivery.
Our expert teams, proven tools and methodology and third-party partners will help your business deliver effective and sustainable procurement transformation that achieve strategic goals for your people, processes and technology.
We can run procurement delivery for as many of your indirect spend categories as needed to help your business focus resources on operational areas and/or frontline services that have a greater impact on your growth and profitability. Often managed on a balanced scorecard approach, linked to commercial delivery, performance improvements and our relationship-based delivery, we take away the noise and give you back savings to re-invest in growth.
4C’s Financial Services team’s extensive knowledge and C-Suite experience with financial organisations gives us a deep understanding of the sector’s statutory requirements, the industry-wide drive for innovation and the importance of customer, cost and culture.
We help multinational banks, challenger companies and insurance providers improve profitability and productivity by creating more efficient and sustainable supply chains and providing valuable insights into risk remediation.
Insight-As-A-Service combines 4C’s procurement knowledge and financial sector expertise with cutting-edge data analytics powered by AI and machine learning. Our technology helps clients to identify opportunities to manage cost. In addition, we help clients to manage their supply base effectively in line with regulatory requirements.
We focus on indirect spend areas such as IT, facilities management, consultancy and resource management using tools and benchmarks to recommend rapid and sustainable cost reduction across your organisation.
Our Control ?> Optimise > Transform framework of improvement levers and bespoke 4SPEND analytics service will identify and implement improvements to your operations that reduces risk while protecting or enhancing the offer to your customer or the consumer.
Our expert teams and proven tools and methodology will help your business deliver effective and sustainable transformations that achieve strategic goals for your people, processes and technology. We work with independent third-parties to examine supply chain risk and how best to deal with the latest statutory requirements.
4C and the Bank of England recently won the Go Award for Procurement Leadership as recognition of transformation across the Bank.
We can run procurement delivery for as many of your indirect spend categories as needed to help your business focus resources on operational areas and/or frontline services that have a greater impact on your growth and profitability. Often managed on a balanced scorecard approach, linked to commercial delivery, performance improvements and our relationship-based delivery, we take away the noise and give you back savings to re-invest in growth or other complementary services.
Our team’s vast range of senior experience in the energy industry gives us a unique understanding of the sector’s challenges, rapidly changing nature and the need to balance cost savings with safety and compliance.
Whether you are involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas, retail, integrated supply of energy or renewables, we will help your business deliver efficiencies in production, manage spend, contain costs and take advantage of new procurement technologies.
Insight-As-A-Service combines 4C’s procurement knowledge and energy industry expertise with cutting-edge data analytics powered by AI and machine learning. Our technology will allow your business to quickly identify opportunities to manage cost more effectively.
4C’s procurement, supply chain, business transformation, Lean and Six-Sigma experts, supported by project management and analysis specialists, use a range of customised tools to manage, track and deliver robust and sustainable savings programmes, while systematically reviewing opportunities on the demand and supply side.
Our expert teams, proven tools and methodology and third-party partners will help your business deliver effective and sustainable procurement transformation that achieve strategic goals for your people, processes and technology.
We can run procurement delivery for as many of your indirect spend categories as needed to help your business focus resources on operational areas that have a greater impact on your growth and profitability. Often managed on a balanced scorecard approach, linked to commercial delivery, performance improvements and our relationship-based delivery, we take away the noise and give you back savings to re-invest in growth.
Our team creates value and EBITDA improvements in Private Equity, that go beyond cost savings and financial benefits. Our focus is on maximising working capital, margin improvements and EBITDA growth, using demand and supply levers to holistically manage spend.
Spend management is a crucial element in all stages of the deal cycle and using a holistic approach to manage spend is quicker and more effective at achieving cost targets. We conduct 360° reviews of all non-payroll spend and then work to rapidly address cost and increase value through our tried and tested two-prong approach of demand and supply levers. Our framework for managing, optimising, and re-engineering costs is focused on key cost angles, including product, demand, supply and organisation.
Insight-As-A-Service combines 4C’s procurement knowledge and public sector expertise with cutting-edge data analytics powered by AI and machine learning. Our light-touch integration process will allow your business to quickly identify opportunities to manage cost more effectively.
We focus on indirect spend areas such as IT, facilities management, consultancy and resource management using tools and benchmarks to recommend rapid and sustainable cost reduction across your organisation.
Our Control ?> Optimise > Transform framework of improvement levers and bespoke 4SPEND analytics service will identify and implement improvements to your operations that reduces risk while protecting or enhancing the offer to your customer or the consumer.
Our expert teams, proven tools and methodology and third-party partners will help your business deliver effective and sustainable procurement transformation that achieve strategic goals for your people, processes and technology.
We can run procurement delivery for as many of your indirect spend categories as needed to help your business focus resources on operational areas and/or frontline services that have a greater impact on your growth and profitability. Often managed on a balanced scorecard approach, linked to commercial delivery, performance improvements and our relationship-based delivery, we take away the noise and give you back savings to re-invest in growth or other complementary services.
Our team combines extensive knowledge and experience with the latest process and technology innovations to provide our clients with transformative solutions and sustainable commercial outcomes. We focus on consumer, cost and culture to empower delivery of better results through innovative, new ways and approaches.
We challenge the status quo to improve our customers’ proposition through better cost and margin outcomes. Our expertise lies in buying and ranging better through combining customer focus, data insights and commercial acumen at a pace beyond the reach of typical retail teams. Several decades of legacy in GNFR and supply chain management means that we are true experts in optimising cost to serve. We help businesses manage margin pressures and improve end-to-end supply chain processes, delivering hard hitting in-year savings with fees tied to the outcome to ensure our team is driven to achieve exceptional results.
Our 4Sight technology suite provides real-time access to market-leading analytics, allowing you to use the latest commercial insights to make fast, fact-based decisions to drive margin enhancement.
By applying our learning algorithms to your raw data, we generate clear, interactive visualisations of those insights, trends and opportunities that will:
Finally, our project management and reporting suite ensures performance remains on track to deliver.
Our Retail team combines customer focus with fresh data insights to enable fact-based commercial decision making enabling us to advance our clients commercial capability to the next level. Our approaches include:
With several decades of GNFR and supply chain management experience on our team we are true experts in optimising your cost to serve. We drive value by looking at:
We use data and insight-driven solutions to maximise your commercial effectiveness from buying activity and to optimise range, pricing and promotional effectiveness in COGS activity.
4C’s healthcare team has board level experience with healthcare providers and healthcare device manufactures. We work with the NHS in delivering value for money and to ensure Trusts can focus on customer care. 4C are working with pharmaceutical and healthcare organisations to focus on product development, cost management , service continuity and risk within the supply chain.
In a fast-moving sector organisations must work collaboratively with their supply chains to drive innovation, test the commerciality and speed to market. The organisations we work with must work flexibly to support the business in this goal, getting medicines int the market, whilst providing commercial vigor to add value to the top and bottom line
Our practitioners provide direct and indirect procurement support, leveraging their extensive market knowledge and experience to bring fresh insight to manage costs through the end to end value chain. In addition to cost out, we support organisations to transform their procurement capability, ensuring it’s fit for purpose, has a defined role and truly adds value when working collaboratively with supply chain.
To assist the public sector healthcare challenges, we can provide support via Consultancy 1, Consultancy2, Bloom and GCloud frameworks.
Following a recent acquisition, the client was experiencing challenges managing their Accounts Payable function, with a backlog of unpaid invoices and difficulty meeting payment on time KPIs. 4C were engaged to deliver a continuous improvement project, identifying and driving Purchase-to-Pay process efficiencies.
Leverage existing data sources and improve reporting on transactional data to include spend, PTP metrics and invoices in order to provide meaningful insights that lead to actionable steps to capture benefits on savings and operational efficiency.
As COVID-19 pandemic escalated trusts needed an accurate way to determine PPE demand, at a healthcare provision level, and model demand as the virus spreads. Trusts needed sector-wide visibility of PPE stock levels by health and care setting and reduce the risk of delays in delivery and stock outages of key items.
We act as true partners to our clients.
By gaining a deep and personal understanding of our clients’ business and goals, our teams develop custom procurement solutions and business strategies that deliver both immediate and long-term benefits.
Insight-As-A-Service combines 4C’s procurement knowledge and specific sector expertise with cutting-edge data analytics powered by AI and machine learning. We provide a range of focused applications that support the sourcing life cycle to manage projects, spend, contracts or risk. In addition, our consultants bring a combination of domain expertise and technology skills to support clients on bespoke analytics projects.
Whether your objective is improving data visibility and transparency, finding better ways of managing risk and compliance, enhancing profitability and performance or identifying savings opportunities, generating reliable prescriptive analytics is one of the biggest challenges procurement departments are facing nowadays. 4C will support you throughout the process of turning complex, unformatted and incomplete datasets into valuable and actionable insights.
Our team of procurement and analytics experts specialise in combining datasets into a single all-encompassing model. We build a data architecture that automates tasks and generates reports through deployment of both bespoke and off-the-shelf interfaces, putting insights at your fingertips thanks to the embedded procurement knowledge and analytical capability.
When everyone at your business can access a single, reliable data source, they can spend more time on real ’value-add’ activities. The 4C Analytics Toolsuite will help you be more effective through a range of data-driven decision support tools, which maximizes your profitability and general business efficiency.
A Turkish towel manufacturer was pressuring our retail client for a 10% price increase across all cotton towels. The supplier was rightfully arguing there was a +34% increase of cotton prices.
4SCAN took into consideration: commodity prices, labour rates, inflation, currency impact, volumes, margin analysis and other cost drivers.
The supplier was omitting an appreciating Turkish Lira against USD (our client’s payment currency). The supplier was gaining up to 27% on FX which more than compensated for the loss driven by the increase in cotton prices.
4SCAN simplified the buyer’s job to research all cost drivers including currency, inflation and raw material trends. The retailer challenged the supplier with fact-based analysis, triggering discussions to find cost reduction opportunities.
The board hired 4C to run a holistic transformation of the GFR procurement function covering sourcing processes, strategic category planning and savings delivery. GFR included hardgoods, textiles and food procurement.
We undertook a full spend diagnostic to understand buying cycles, maturity of procurement execution and process effectiveness. We carried out a deep-dive at category and sub-category level followed by thorough opportunity validation process.
4SPEND allowed our teams to identify in each category multiple projects from short-term cash collection to long-term value delivery with an unprecedented accuracy and efficiently.
New global procurement structure aligning all entities, full process redesign and upskilling of procurement community (200+ employees)
Advanced should-cost modelling enabling greater negotiating leverage and increased savings
As part of a margin improvement project we were challenged to equip buyers and consultants with the tools and insights they needed to inform key strategic decisions and provide them with the insights needed to deliver a £12m project
Working with buyers, we developed and deployed a platform that provided key commercial information at their fingertips and provided the ability to isolate anomalies to develop negotiation strategies that drove improvement.
We used our 4MARGIN tool to quickly identify margin dilutive and low value products, to drive negotiations using margin gap analysis & to facilitate strategic decisions.
4Margin allowed buyers & consultants to access all the essential commercial information and drilling down high levels to the granular, as well as a suite of tools for negotiations, range modelling and sku performance.
Declining sales prompted a range review that aimed to increase revenue through product innovation. Procurement was challenged to manage product costs to ensure profitability whilst meeting quality expectations.
Following detailed analysis we focused on improving and standardising specifications – using cost modelling and benchmark pricing to support supplier negotiation.
We used our tool to analyse and identify margin dilutive products. Specification was identified as the most effective lever for negotiation.
We understand the pressure businesses are under to deliver against budgets and exceed stakeholder expectations. Our cost reduction teams work closely with clients, developing innovative solutions to cost challenges that deliver tangible results.
Increasing price pressures coming from both raw materials and increasing overheads is regularly cited as the number one business concern. Resource-strapped procurement teams are under huge pressure to maintain spend under management while mitigating external factors that are driving high costs and lower margins.
Our cost reduction service provides clear visibility of your category spend and generates actionable insights using tools, costing models and benchmarks to recommend rapid and sustainable cost reduction across your organisation.
Our Control > Optimise > Transform framework of ‘cost out’ and ‘value in’ procurement levers and bespoke 4SPEND analytics service will identify opportunities for unlocking new value. Our experienced team of procurement practitioners will then work closely with your stakeholders to create an appropriate plan of action.
Our procurement practitioners give your business access to a vast range of experience in driving tangible results. We use methodologies tried and tested with clients across all sectors and geographies but customise them to align with the specific needs of your business. Together, we’ll track the results of our procurement enhancements using simple, interactive dashboards and ensure we consistently deliver EBITDA improvements.
Accelerated savings delivery programme covering all areas of indirect spend.
The food market in operates on tight profit margins and is extremely competitive. 4C was first selected to work on a targeted savings programme which after delivering significant quick wins, 4C was chosen to provide a second generation outsource to deliver longer term strategic initiatives. The subsequent steps of the collaboration has seen both companies work together to move the current project beyond tactical procurement and into true cost transformation.
GFR and GNFR Cost Review Program
A leading UK retailer, specialising in fine wines with 211 stores across the country. In 2015, the business acquired an online wine retailer. The retailer had a budget deficit of circa £1m in year and were introducing budget challenges for the next financial year. 4C were chosen to conduct a full cost review of the GNFR and GFR spend to identify the areas of opportunity for both organisations.
Opportunity Diagnostic
GNFR
GFR
Cost reduction focussed managed service covering all areas of indirect spend
The food market in operates on tight profit margins and is extremely competitive. 4C was first selected to work on a targeted savings programme which after delivering significant quick wins, 4C was chosen to provide a second generation outsource to deliver longer term strategic initiatives. The subsequent steps of the collaboration has seen both companies work together to move the current project beyond tactical procurement and into true cost transformation.
Outcome based framework centred around two core service streams:
"4C have been working with United Biscuits since 2009 and have enabled a step change from procurement savings to delivering cost transformation. The team 4C put in place has over-delivered on all objectives and proved themselves to be constant innovators; always looking for processes to optimise or leading edge technology to deploy. We are extremely pleased with the results achieved and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them."Edward Fuchs, (former) Group Procurement Director when company known as United Biscuits
COGS Reduction and Margin improvement programme
A top 10 national general merchandise retailer with over 400 stores selling a mix of branded and private label products. Following an 8-week diagnostic, we were engaged to deliver ambitious cost reduction and margin improvement targets. Lack of access to commercial data and a core sourcing capability was not identifying alternative suppliers restricting competitive tension. Core suppliers not treated consistently and key category decisions lacked customer / market insight
As organisations transform themselves or their services, they have an opportunity to change the interaction and alignment of the procurement function within the business and its supply chain. Transformation can:
At 4C we understand the challenges our clients face with procurement transformation, which can include:
We use systematic methodologies, tools and techniques to recommend focus areas to our clients so they can improve control, performance and understanding of business needs, understand how to become a high performing function and align operating models and culture to deliver the business goals.
Our 9-box model for operating model design, standard people development templates and change management methodologies enable and deliver sustainable benefits, while 4Spend and 4Tracker tools put data and insights at our clients’ fingertips.
Our teams have supported global organisations with their vision, strategy and operating model, while ensuring their people are mapped against the correct strategic categories, leveraging local and Global Procurement Services teams to execute contracting and sourcing.
We will provide diagnostic and ambition setting, transformation design and planning and rapid implementation solutions that allow your business to:
These benefits will maximize your profitability, deliver business efficiency, while empowering your staff and supply chain.
A British multinational energy and utility company supplying electricity and gas to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and North America.
4C was selected and brought in to map to existing procurement operating model and recommend a TOM design and associated benefits for its people, process and technology
BP is one of the world’s leading integrated oil and gas companies. We provide customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, lubricants to keep engines moving, and the petrochemicals products used to make everyday items as diverse as paints, clothes and packaging.
Incorporating best practices and standardising the way procurement is undertaken in a global organisation.
Recommendation for a new procurement policy and target operating model.
A UK challenger bank focused on savings and lending for SMEs, homeowners, landlords and individuals.
Aldermore has grown rapidly and recognised the need to understand their expenditure profile, provide clear management information on the supply base and to transform procurement. We were initially engaged to provide visibility of their spend which led to us reviewing their procurement function and providing options on the new operating model, including outsourcing.
Outsourced procurement solution. Travelex is a global foreign exchange company with a significant presence in APAC, North American and Europe. Travelex employs over 6,500 people and serves over 37m customers per year.
When Travelex brought us in there was no internal procurement team with all sourcing undertaken by operational staff in an ad-hoc, uncoordinated way.
We needed to build credibility for a procurement function and once this was achieved, we became the outsourced procurement provider.
Our key deliverable was to building trust in the value procurement can add. We focused on OPEX savings with improve EBITDA but also supported a large IT CAPEX project. We adopted:
We provided a core fixed team which was supplemented by category experts as and when expertise was required.
Our service delivery teams are experts in all aspects of procurement, including the latest tools and processes. We work closely with your team to understand your specific business priorities in order to continually deliver excellent and sustainable value.
Our clients are engaged in a wide variety of activities across constantly changing environments. Delivering effective performance often requires a diverse range of experience and knowledge that’s difficult to maintain in-house. The resulting low productivity levels, costly service delivery and frustrated resources means the company is unable to keep its talent focused on key business matters.
We provide our clients with a flexible workforce that have the specific skills and deep category expertise to meet the current challenges and can scale easily to cope with changing demand.
They are supported by innovative tools and processes, as well our wealth of general procurement delivery knowledge and strong analytics and transactional capability that can be delivered remotely by our centre-of-excellence or directly at client locations.
When you have instant access to the right skill, resources, tools and processes to deal with your procurement challenges, you can focus your internal capabilities on other difference-making goals that make best use of their talents. Our teams stay up to date with the latest trends and developments across multiple sectors and will pass on fresh insights and ideas to your business.
Nomad Foods Europe is a leading packaged foods company. Through an acquirin business model, they own a global portfolio of best-in-class food companies and brands within the frozen category and across the broader food sector.
4C were engaged to provide a Best in Class strategy to rationalise and future proof the communication supplier base for clients. Key areas include improving commercial terms, flexibility to substitute supply base, transformation of services, transparency of service provision, accountable risk and reward fee structures and the update of contract terms to reflect proliferation in digital services, IP and regulation.
Category Diagnostic
Market Engagement
European outreach & Acquisition flexibility
Category savings to date:
Royal Dutch Shell plc, is a British-Dutch oil and gas company headquartered in the Netherlands and incorporated in the United Kingdom. It is one of the six oil and gas “supermajors” and the sixth-largest company in the world measured by 2016 revenues.
Get control over contractors by migrating individuals of commercial or talent interest into a contingent workforce solution. Challenges to be dealt with include: high turnover of contractors, large distribution across 100+ legal entities or manual intensive work.
Royal Dutch Shell plc, is a British-Dutch oil and gas company headquartered in the Netherlands and incorporated in the United Kingdom. It is one of the six oil and gas “supermajors” and the sixth-largest company in the world measured by 2016 revenues.
Analyse control contingent workforce related spend. Large data volumes and complex structure of different ERP systems disrupt reporting over spend.
Pladis, previously known as United Biscuits, is one of the world’s pre-eminent branded snacks businesses. The company produces some of the best known and loved sweet and savoury snacks, with products ranging from biscuits and crackers to cakes and savoury snacks. The portfolio of brands includes McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Carr’s, Jaffa Cakes, Verkade, and Delacre.
With a hundred plus projects across dozens of categories and sub-categories it was important to be able to communicate the in-year savings reliably for the client’s internal procurement reporting including milestone measures.
Close working relationships between both Procurement and the categories have underpinned improved supplier performance and significant cost reduction of a regular compounded 3% saving each year on total spend, equating to 8% savings on managed spend
"4C have enabled a step change from procurement savings to delivering cost transformation. The team 4C put in place has over-delivered on all objectives and proved themselves to be constant innovators; always looking for processes to optimise or leading edge technology to deploy. We are extremely pleased with the results achieved and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them"Edward Fuchs, (former) Group Procurement Director
4C Associates is a dynamic, fast-growing and diverse procurement consultancy. We provide expertise across all areas of cost transformation and procurement, for leading organisations in all market sectors.
Our international presence, combined with our fresh approach & deep expertise in providing tailored solutions enables our clients to meet their strategic goals, ranging from rapid profit improvement to long term business transformation.
Our success depends on the capability, commitment and dedication of our employees. We recruit only the highest calibre individuals.
– A highly professional multi-disciplined team bringing a wealth of experience from industry, procurement, strategy consulting and finance
– A focus on offering long-term solutions to deliver actionable insights and sustainable benefit
– Commercial agreements aligned to the delivery of profit improvements
– A flexible and innovative approach taking into account the very latest developments across all markets and sectors
On joining 4C Associates you will become part of a dynamic team and enjoy the benefits of positive career progressing opportunities and a host of great social benefits and activities our employees participate in.
4C is a fast-growing consultancy. If you believe you have the necessary skills to join our team please get in touch
As a result of growth in demand for our expertise, 4C is regularly looking for outstanding individuals to join our team. We look for individuals at all levels who have the potential to progress to leadership roles within our company.
Applicants should be flexible to work with consulting teams at client sites across the UK and abroad. Please review our key roles and opportunities listed for more details.
4C is a fast growing consultancy so there are many opportunities for people to join our team. Take a look at some of our roles listed here.
If you believe you have the necessary skills to join our team please get in touch – we want to here from you.
4C offer a variety of internship schemes as well as opportunities for new graduates. These positions are aimed at candidates with excellent analytical skills, commercial awareness, great communication skills and an enthusiasm to develop a career in procurement consulting.
As a result of growth in demand for our expertise, 4C is regularly looking for outstanding individuals to join our team. We look for individuals at all levels who have the potential to progress to leadership roles within our company.
Applicants should be flexible to work with consulting teams at client sites across the UK and abroad.
Please review our key roles and opportunities listed for more details.
Analysts at 4C join our Centre of Excellence and provide support across a diverse range of projects. You will provide analytical support while developing procurement and consulting expertise.
A comprehensive training and development plan is devised to support your growth and development into consulting roles. Positions are aimed at graduates, or candidates with initial professional experience. We look for strong analytical capability, good communication & presentation skills and ambition to develop a career in procurement consulting.
Consultants and Senior Consultants are responsible for successfully delivering significant elements of major client projects. The role involves the proactive identification and implementation of cost reductions and performance improvements. Consultants should have first class analytical skills, excellent stakeholder management skills and ideally previous experience in a procurement, supply chain or performance improvement role.
Managers at 4C are responsible for leading a diverse range of complex and challenging client engagements in procurement and transformation. Projects typically involve the proactive identification and delivery of major cost reductions and performance improvements for our clients. We look for highly skilled procurement professionals to fulfil these positions.
The 4C Centre of Excellence provides a platform for a structured induction process.
We focus on developing your skills and enhancing your expertise, and you will
At our team workshops we focus on developing 4C capabilities to help us build the best practice ‘4C Way’ in all services we provide. We develop templates, processes, standard ways of working and shape relevant technology to support our activities
Maria Slimpa joined the Centre of Excellence recently – “As a new 4C joiner, being part of the CoE team helped me get a better understanding of the company’s focus by participating in and assisting various projects. Through that I learnt new tools and improved my technical skills. Additionally, I got to meet many people within 4C and get a better grasp of the different business sectors that the company has projects in.”
Our client engagements, events calendar, structured research programmes and extensive subject matter expertise has helped us develop deep insights into procurement, supply chain management and profit improvement.
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