by Brianna Crandall — September 29, 2017 — Global management consulting and professional services company Accenture and global facility services provider ISS have had an outsourcing relationship for facility services since 2005, and what began as an input-based single-service relationship later evolved into a solid output-based Integrated Facility Services (IFS) contract. In the Netherlands, the two companies have taken it to the next level with “Vested” certification.
Earlier this year, ISS Netherlands and Accenture signed a fully-fledged IFM contract covering consulting company Accenture‘s facilities across the Netherlands. It covers numerous services, including facilities management (FM), hospitality services, service desk, call center, food and beverage, technical management and housekeeping.
Both Accenture and ISS wanted their relationship to evolve beyond the limitations of a performance-based contract and were eager to create world-class employee experiences that are flexible, innovative and adapted to the busy lives of young consultants.
The two companies turned to the University of Tennessee’s Vested Outsourcing methodology to help them take both their relationship and contract to the next level. This week, the University of Tennessee officially recognized the Accenture and ISS agreement as a fully Vested agreement as part of the University’s Certified Deal Architect program.
Commitment to shared success
Vested is a methodology for creating highly collaborative business relationships that enable true win-win relationships in which both parties are equally committed to each other’s success. Using the Vested methodology, business partners create a flexible outcome-based contractual framework designed to deliver on the parties’ mutually developed vision and desired outcomes.
Using the Vested methodology, business partners create a flexible outcome-based contractual framework designed to deliver on the parties’ mutually developed vision and desired outcomes.
In order for a partnership to be qualified as a fully Vested agreement, the parties need to follow all of the Vested Five Rules by scoring at least a four out of five across 10 contractual elements that are essential to have a sustainable win-win outsourcing agreement.
Kate Vitasek from the University of Tennessee, who developed Vested as a model for strategic collaboration, commented on the Accenture-ISS agreement:
Accenture and ISS should be commended for their excellent work in exceeding all of the requirements. Because it is designed as a flexible relational contract, it should meet the dynamic needs of both companies as Accenture’s needs change over time.
This is the first Vested contract in the ISS Group and the first certified Vested contract in the Netherlands.
Innovative approach to workplace management
Under the Vested partnership, the focus is moving away from contractual limitations, restraining innovation.
Ricco Groeneveld, Workplace lead, Accenture Benelux, said:
We truly believed in our partnership and wanted to see each other as partners. In reality, however, and as all outputs were predefined, the contract still constrained us to act as client and supplier. ISS still needed our permission for changes of any kind, even if these held more innovative and efficient approaches to workplace management. We still needed to tick the box, so to speak.
Today, ISS reportedly has the complete freedom to improve, innovate and rethink their facility services delivery in whatever ways will suit the Accenture consultants best — without concerning themselves with any contractual restraints.
Herman Knevel, director of Innovation and Strategy, ISS Netherlands, added:
This approach to our partnership is an important step forward. It places both Accenture and ISS in an even better position to focus on our shared value and interests to ensure the long-term success of both parties. We are pioneers in our industry, and this is a great confirmation of the value of our new vision for partnership in facility management outsourcing.
For more information about the Vested program or the ISS/Accenture partnership, visit the respective Web sites. ISS also points to this article on the Service Futures Web site: “Why Vested Outsourcing is the Next Big Thing.”
