All good relationships are built on trust, including business relationships. However, trust is more important in some relationships than others. Public sector organisations, for example, need trust up the ying yang.
Why?
There are many reasons behind the risk averse nature of public procurement, but primarily:
- Public sector buyers work with public funds. They must be able to account for every penny spent, because taxpayers want to know their money is being spent wisely.
- Any hint of frittering money away or worse, losing funds to fraud or corruption, makes the general public very unhappy, and they want those responsible to be brought to book so it isn’t an ongoing occurrence.
- Central and local government bodies have a responsibility to uphold ethical practices. Unethical procurement practices, like supporting modern slavery or the decimation of rainforests, are not only illegal, but they erode the trust the public has in the government.
As you can see, there’s a lot at stake, so you can’t blame public sector organisations for being very picky about procurement partnerships. It starts to make sense why the B2G procurement process is more complex than procurement in the private sector.
In this post, we’re going to look at how to build trust in your public sector partnerships to enhance your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness.
Why Trust Matters in Public Sector Procurement
Here we’re going to cover how public sector buyers ensure they can trust suppliers to manage government contracts.
First up, due diligence.
Government buyers will investigate your status and background to ensure you can deliver the contract as you say you can. They’ll investigate your financial stability, operational capabilities, regulatory compliance, and industry reputation.
Suppliers must ensure they have a clean rap sheet. This includes checking for unethical business practices, but there’s also extended due diligence that suppliers might not know about. It’s the ‘Connected Persons’ rule, and it requires suppliers to investigate their supply chain to find out if any of the companies are on the debarment list.
This is very important because, according to the rule, suppliers will be excluded from bidding on contracts if they have any connection to parent companies, subsidiaries, or directors on the debarment list.
Contracting authorities take supplier risk management very seriously.
Next, compliance, transparency, and reputation
Compliance is another biggie for the public sector. There are three elements to compliance.
1) Compliance with the contract terms and conditions.
2) Compliance with industry-specific regulations.
3) Compliance with national regulations, including the Procurement Act 2023 and the Social Value Act 2015.
There is a fourth element, but it only applies in certain circumstances, like when contracts cross borders into the EU or even further afield. Then suppliers must also comply with the procurement regulations in that country or unified area.
Transparency is important from accountability and collaboration perspectives.
eSourcing or eTendering platforms record all communication, every interaction, and update between public sector buyers and suppliers. Records are updated in real-time. All stakeholders have access to this information, including interested members of the general public.
Reputation is everything – kind of.
Suppliers with an excellent reputation for project delivery, who consistently provide additional value that goes above and beyond contract specs, and who are generally compliant with ethical practices might (might) get away with a smudge on their rap sheet.
Well, not get away with exactly, rather given the chance to correct the situation. This is where trust can come in – trusted suppliers, especially those with long-term procurement partnerships, are likely to be given the benefit of the doubt. The slip-up could just be an oversight that’s easily addressed.
Characteristics of a Trusted Public Sector Brand
So, what does a trusted company look like? Trusted public sector suppliers have the following characteristics:
Transparency and Compliance
Transparency and compliance are essential in public sector partnerships. Here are some examples of certifications, accreditations, and reporting requirements with which suppliers must comply.
ISO certifications are internationally recognised standards that guarantee a certain level of quality for a range of business activities. For example:
- ISO 14001: Environmental Management (environmental impact, waste, sustainability)
- ISO 27001: Information Security Management Systems (cybersecurity, privacy protection)
- ISO 45000: Occupational Health and Safety (employee safety, workplace risks)
Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are government certifications that demonstrate suppliers have basic cybersecurity measures in place. Cyber Essentials is the minimum certification the public sector accepts. Without it, you won’t be able to bid for government contracts.
The government is shaking up the sustainability landscape, making environmental considerations mandatory in public sector procurement and development . Basically, if you want to form partnerships national or local government bodies, you must have sustainability embedded in your business’s DNA.
One of the changes suppliers and buyers must be aware of relates to ESG reporting. The first UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (SRS) was introduced in 2025. UK SRS is much the same as the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). It will directly affect ESG compliance, supply chain transparency, and carbon reduction (net zero) targets.
Demonstrated Value for Money
This is where you prove your chops as a public partner.
Typically, government buyers want to see three recent case studies for similar projects or services, even if they’re with private partners. This is so they know you can provide good overall value. Remember, overall value is the name of the game, so you’d better have a couple of tricks up your sleeve to meet whatever requirements the buyer waves at you, and then some.
Testimonials are also great for your credibility. However, testimonials can be taken out of context to make them mean what you want them to mean. So, testimonials are good, case studies (that include testimonials) are better.
Proven Track Record
Case studies and testimonials prove your track record, but there are a few more sources you can use to demonstrate why a partnership is in the government’s best interests.
Social proof
Social proof is FOMO – fear of missing out. You see someone or a group of someones doing something, so you do it too. So, if some clients (or influencers) praise you to the heavens, more people are likely to investigate your products or services. Hopefully, they’re impressed enough to convert from leads into customers.
Client logos
Having satisfied customers’ logos on your site can be an impressive drawcard for the public sector. It suggests consistent quality. You could also pair logos with testimonials for a bigger punch.
Alignment with Public Sector Values
Your brand’s values must align with public sector values overall – things like sustainability and social value are very important in public sector partnerships. They must also align with the public sector organisation concerned, for example, if you’re bidding on a healthcare contract, your values need to relate to health and wellbeing in some way.
Given the national government’s priorities, you can’t go wrong by focusing on social value’s three pillars (social, economic, environmental), sustainability (net zero targets), and community impact (ongoing upliftment).
Messaging and Content That Builds Trust
How you portray your brand is a huge factor in establishing yourself as a trustworthy partner. Here are three areas to focus on.
1. Language and Tone
Your English must be good. We’re not talking King’s English, but all content, whether it’s your website, infographic, or case study, must flow – no spelling or grammar errors. The tone needn’t be too formal. You want to be accessible after all. But you don’t want to be chatty or stuffed full of jargon either.
2. Proof Points to Include on Your Website
Your website doesn’t just contain info about your public services, products, or works. It’s also where you can show off a bit. So, have a landing page just for case studies, or with links to individual case studies.
Show off your certifications, accreditations, awards, and testimonials – your website should demonstrate your expertise and value in public sector partnerships.
3. Thought Leadership and Authority Content
Show off your knowledge. Your site can provide quality gated content, like whitepapers, while your blog can raise interesting topics, share some new ideas, and discuss innovations.
Podcasts and webinars also count as content, so don’t be afraid to use them when wooing central and local government organisations.
Design and UX Elements That Influence Trust
Your website must look professional. You can do it yourself, using any of the numerous website builders available, and do a decent job. But, if you can afford it, hire someone qualified to deliver a great site that is intuitive, user-friendly, and SEO optimised.
A professional designer can also ensure your site is mobile-friendly and complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), so people with disabilities can access your content.
Channels to Reinforce Your Positioning
This is how you get your brand known. For example, to establish your brand as a trustworthy supplier for the public sector, especially in the transportation sector, you might want to develop a content strategy for LinkedIn. – perhaps the best social media channel for B2G marketing and where you’re most likely to find relevant public partners.
Your marketing agency can also take care of things like press releases in industry newsletters, mentions on influencer social media channels, and advertorials in local newspapers (online and print).
You should also establish a presence on procurement portals, like the government’s Contracts Finder, G-Cloud, Delta eSourcing, and Supply2Gov.
Measuring Trust and Brand Perception in B2G Procurement
If you don’t measure it, how will you know if you’re doing well?
There are several ways to measure your brand’s performance. For example, you can use brand surveys that you set up yourself. Or, you could establish your Net Promoter Score (NPS). Your NPS measures customers’ opinions of your brand.
We’ve all seen the question:
“On a scale of 0 – 10, how likely are you to recommend Brand X to friends or colleagues?” The higher the score, the better. So, if your score is middling or below, you know you’ve got some serious work to do to change the public sector’s perception and opinion of your brand.
Remember your digital trust indicators, for example, analytics that measure site traffic, time on site, bounce rate, engagement, etc.
Is Your Brand Trustworthy?
That’s the ultimate question, isn’t it? Have you given public sector organisations enough reason to justify long-term partnerships?
- Do you have ISO and Cyber Essentials certifications?
- Do you have case studies that prove you have a good track record with similar projects?
- Is your website optimised for content marketing, SEO, and mobile devices?
- Do you have a good reputation on social media and other marketing channels?
- Is your NPS eight or more?
You could very well have a trustworthy brand on your hands.
However, if you want to be absolutely sure, contact Cadence Marketing for a brand audit and strategy call. Our consultants will answer all your questions about improving your brand’s trustworthiness so you can increase your attractiveness as a trusted company that provides quality public works, services, and products.
