A procurement expert with 25 years’ experience who managed more than £1 billion in corporate spend with senior roles at SSE and BAE Systems, has launched a new venture designed to give businesses access to the buying expertise and supplier leverage traditionally available only to large organisations.
Founded by Shona Motherwell, The Independent Buying Group was created after Shona saw first-hand how smaller businesses were often paying too much for essential services, struggling with underperforming suppliers and lacking the time or expertise to find better alternatives.
The business is already proving its worth. The IBG recently helped a local garage slash its card payment fees by 66 per, turning an £18,000 annual bill into just £6,000. Unlike traditional industry brokers, The IBG takes either a fixed fee or a percentage of savings, rather than an ongoing commission based on spend.
“Large businesses have buying power, time and dedicated procurement teams," said founder Shona Motherwell. "Smaller businesses often have none of those. When I left the corporate world, I started going out and talking to small business owners.
"What I found was stressed business owners who are spending too much money with suppliers and also issues with underperforming suppliers. These businesses also didn’t have the time and experience to fix it. Equally, I also heard from suppliers who had issues with customers not paying their bills once projects are delivered. I saw a clear gap and I knew I could help all parties. The Independent Buying Group is about removing that stress and giving smaller businesses a stronger supply chain so they can grow with confidence, and giving top rate suppliers access to better customers.”
The new business operates across three areas. First, The IBG brings businesses together to go to market collectively on high-spend overheads such as electricity and card payments. This allows smaller companies to benefit from greater collective buying power, resulting in not only better rates but also improved service levels from suppliers. Its first group tender events are launching for electricity and card payments, with fuel and other services planned to follow in 2027.
Second, The IBG helps businesses review their direct cost of goods, either negotiating improved terms with existing suppliers or running a tender process to identify alternatives.
Lastly, The IBG is launching a new vetted supplier directory that gives businesses access to trusted suppliers for overhead services. Traditionally a difficult area to source, where quality and reliability are arguably more important than simply finding the cheapest option.
The directory is being developed region by region, launching in Glasgow initially. It is designed to bring the “buy local” principle into the SME sector, creating a platform that strengthens local business networks, encourages collaboration and helps SMEs access and support one another within their region.
Every supplier joining The IBG directory is assessed through its CALM framework Code of Conduct – Clear communications, Accountable delivery, Legal standards and Moral behaviours. Credit levels, industry certifications and company insurances are also monitored on an ongoing basis. The aim is to give businesses greater confidence when choosing suppliers, while helping them avoid the time-consuming process of researching and checking providers themselves. Uniquely, buyers also need to complete a short questionnaire, pass a credit check and sign up to the CALM framework Code of Conduct before gaining access to this trusted source of suppliers.
Businesses can access the vetted supplier directory from £30 a month, while participation in a group tender event costs an annual fixed fee with no commission. The IBG also offers a comprehensive procurement service for businesses requiring a full supply chain audit or support running their own tender process.