Client: Fusion 21
Sectors: Public Sector,
Services: PR & Communications, Strategy,
Fusion21 is a national social enterprise specialising in efficient and impactful public sector procurement and social value services.
Created originally by and for the housing sector in 2002, it has since diversified into other sectors including local authority, education, NHS, and blue light.
The client wanted media consultancy, PR and comms support to help amplify its expanding multi-sector work and show the effect of its commitment to ensuring its member and suppliers embed social value in their projects such as creating local jobs and apprenticeship opportunities, voluntary work and community-focused initiatives.
The client also wanted to showcase, in the regional, sector and national press and internally, its impactful work which to date has saved its members more than £343 million through the procurement process, created over 11,150 employment outcomes, and generated more than £165 million in social impact.
Drawing on expertise across our business we met with the client and held structured workshops to understand their strategic priorities.
We set in place regular meetings with comms leaders and senior management and using our background in journalism and public relations identified news hooks and human-interest stories centred around its key messaging and priorities ranging from social value successes to the launch of new procurement frameworks.
We also carried out media training with its senior leadership team (picture attached) – explaining the news gathering process and tools as well as empowering staff to identify story opportunities.
We have secured a regular flow of news articles, thought leaderships, features and social media posts highlighting not just its work as a sector leader but the successes of its members and suppliers.
Content has ranged from showcasing Fusion21’s work with the Department for Education, to a powerful interview with a pipefitter who had to “learn how to walk again” after being thrown from his motorcycle in a career-ending accident. He has been given a fresh start by a Fusion21 supplier as part of its social value activity delivered as a result of working with our client. Fusion21 has since extended our work, which now includes a market research brief.
