Hyde-based educational resources supplier Findel has announced it has been awarded the framework for the supply of education aids, curriculum aids and associated products by Wrexham County Borough Council, the lead council, on behalf of 22 local authorities in Wales.

The multi-million pound framework is to supply to primary and secondary schools in Wales. This is a national framework, available on request for any public sector organisations across England, Scotland and Wales to use.

Findel is now the approved supplier of educational resources to more than 1,400 schools across 22 local authorities in Wales after being awarded the framework.

The company was the core supplier on the previous iteration of this framework with Wrexham County Borough Council running from 2019 to 2023. The new agreement to supply educational resources will run until 2027.

Findel's team which will work with schools also includes native Welsh speakers to support the growing priority of the language being taught on the Curriculum for Wales.

Commenting on the contract win, Findel's chief executive, Chris Mahady, said:

"Not only retaining, but growing our supplier relationship with all the Wales local authorities and their schools is testament to Findel's commitment to provide customers with the highest quality of products and customer service.

"As a business, we are truly dedicated to our ESG activities to positively support the communities in which Findel and its customers operate. It's fantastic to see that this was a differentiator for us when it came to being awarded the framework.

"We look forward to continuing to work with schools across Wales to ensure they have the right products and supplies to support pupils and teachers alike."

Alongside company operations, strong emphasis was placed on tenderers environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials. Findel's impressive business performance and ESG initiatives were favoured scoring the maximum points.

Findel's ESG commitments includes the Findel Foundation, a long-term initiative to provide ongoing support to a range of children's education, wellbeing and environment causes throughout the UK.

As part of the Findel Foundation's work, the company has recently provided the funds to set up and run a breakfast club at Welshpool Church in Wales Primary School through The Greggs Foundation Breakfast Club Programme.

Last year, Findel secured what is believed to be the UK education supplies sector's first sustainability-linked loan from lender Santander UK. The £18m facility is being used to drive Findel's ESG commitments.

Findel is also the first education supplies sector company in the UK to be accepted onto the global Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in the fight against climate change.

This came after the company set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with climate science. When first accepted, Findel was one of only 230 companies in the UK with an approved science-based target that will be monitored by the SBTi.

Findel's origins as an educational resources supplier can be traced back to 1817. Today, the company's brands and websites offer more than 32,000 products to educators and parents based in the UK and overseas with the business exporting to 130 countries.

Headquartered in Hyde, Greater Manchester, Findel also has a distribution centre and offices in Nottingham and employs around 300 people. The company's brands comprise Hope,GLS, Davies Sports, Philip Harris and Scandibørn.

Findel is backed by Leeds-headquartered private equity firm Endless, which supported a management buy-out in April 2021.

For more information on Findel visit www.findel.co.uk.