Managing Supplier Innovation and Digital Transformation clinches CBRE 2 Awards at CIPS

During ProcureCon Asia 2023, CBRE clinched the Best Procurement Transformation Programme and Best Supplier Relationship Management Initiative during the CIPS Award! Since 1906, CBRE has been a global leader in commercial real estate services, offering comprehensive expertise and solutions to clients worldwide, from strategic consulting and property management to leasing and investment services.


1. Best Procurement Transformation Programme

The Problem

In 2021, CBRE realized that its playbooks needed to align with the current market factors, and content on multiple platforms took time to locate. In 2022, the Global Procurement Solutions team was tasked to turn the existing playbooks into the Category Excellence Digital Playbooks that can be readily found on CBRE’s Global Intranet, helping employees make informed decisions, differentiate their approach, and deliver exceptional client outcomes. This transformation was aligned with CBRE’s brand, with governance, security, ease of navigation, and training being key focus areas.

A Smooth Sea Never Made A Skilled Sailor

Undoubtedly, CBRE faced challenges when implementing and introducing its Digital Playbooks.

  • Each procurement professional has their own set of processes and tools when dealing with suppliers and clients.
  • With global operations, every region with its different native language must be made available, and internal collaboration has been carefully planned with the different time zones.
  • Tools, processes, templates, and market information needs to remain relevant and usable across regions.
  • Identifying relevant information that would aid in quick and seamless decision-making.

Making The Skilled Sailor

CBRE aligned its content templates with branding standards and partnered with Paperflite.

The Digital Playbooks were aligned to 14 program mandates, accommodating growing business demands with seamless administration of procurement activity, all while supporting sales and marketing professionals across all industries. These mandates include:

  • Global Coverage: Establish coverage in 21 countries and 64 metropolitan areas, representing over 90% of all CBRE Integrated Facilities Management activities.
  • Functional: Development and accessibility to benchmarking, supplier selection, and category calculator tools
  • Excellence: Feedback portal and content governance
  • Collaborative: Aligned with all businesses and primary workstreams

With these mandates serving as a framework, CBRE employees can design sustainable, world-class solutions efficiently through a single reference point of their market-leading database, and clients can choose a playbook and implement a “best-fit, best-value” solution aligned with relevant site-specific adjustments.

The design, implementation, and digital accessibility enhance CBRE’s distinct procurement advantage over its market competition.

Their Goals and Results

Since their partnership with Paperflite in 2022, their first quarter saw 1,596 visitors who have spent 5,014 sessions viewing 1,214 assets across 35 countries. With 17 Digital Playbooks launched that year, they aim to publish over 40 playbooks for every significant spending category by 2024.

Suppliers who have come on board and are working with CBRE to continue growing their business and opportunities provide CBRE with more competitive offerings with their global operations and contracting, resulting in an enhanced customer experience through tighter collaboration of resources and information.

What have they learned?

Through this transformation, CBRE knows that a well-defined and well-communicated vision is needed for success, and gaining the trust and understanding of people impacted by the work through improved employee and customer experience is key.

“The Digital Procurement Playbooks are a game changer! We can now take the key knowledge and expertise from our Category Managers and put it in a tangible format where our teams can quickly ascertain this data. That alone is a valuable tool for our Procurement Teams!”
Elaine Carter – Managing Director, Global Workplace Solutions, Enterprise Accounts, Facilities Management Platform Sourcing Solutions

2. Best Supplier Relationship Management Initiative

A true differentiator that sets CBRE apart in the industry is their Partner Excellence Program (PEP). This robust framework has been hugely successful among business leaders, supplier partners, and clients.

The Problem

CBRE needed a way to manage its supply chain for innovation and deliver cutting-edge solutions for CBRE and its clients.

Developing the global initiative challenge requires careful planning, effective communication, and collaboration between different teams and cultures.

The Approach

CBRE Global Workplace Solutions launched Innovation initiatives, and from clients’ feedback, CBRE took the best practice and globalized it, incorporating it as a critical element of CBRE’s new global Partner Excellence Program, officially launched in 2022.

The initiatives are guided by a robust innovation framework developed by procurement, account teams, business stakeholders, and clients. Some of the outlines are as follows:

  • Client Guidance: The approach included Health & Safety, Sustainability, Diversity, and more.
  • Innovation Challenge: Guidelines and criteria included a track record of leading innovation, investment in market-leading technology, and ability to meet future innovation needs. Innovation Champions (CBRE Procurement and Business Segment representatives) will assist finalists with refining solutions, promoting innovations, and facilitating client engagements.
  • Track and Promote Client Value: Tracking delivered value and supplier growth allow best practices to be shared and leveraged globally, bringing transparency to siloed in-country perspectives.

The Results

The Innovation Challenge was launched in 24 countries in 2022, and over 1,700 suppliers were invited to participate. It generated over 400 ideas, a leap from 120 innovations in the previous year. In APAC, over 160 suppliers were invited, and 58 outstanding submissions were received, leading to six winners and nine runners-up.

Promotional and implementation opportunities were awarded to winners and runners-up, such as CBRE Executive Sponsorship for 12 months and presentation opportunities at monthly innovation forums where their solutions will be presented.

The Learnings

To execute an effective Supplier Relationship Management strategy, a global framework with local applicability is essential. It requires time, resources, commitment, and an understanding that value output will occur over time. The supplier’s top management’s commitment is crucial for cultivating a mutually beneficial relationship and assigning the right account managers to support the company best in achieving the common goal. A successful partnership must be a win-win for clients, the company, and supplier partners.

Congratulations to CBRE on their continued success and achievements in the commercial real estate industry! With its unwavering commitment to excellence, innovative solutions, and dedication to client satisfaction, CBRE has solidified its position as a global leader. We applaud their exceptional team of professionals and the transformative impact they bring to the world of real estate. Here's to many more years of success and growth for CBRE!

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