In 2021, Crown Workspace successfully secured the General Medical Council’s workplace services contract, encompassing Moves and Changes (MAC), Move Management and Storage services.
The contract was awarded following a competitive procurement process and has since developed into a long-term strategic partnership supporting General Medical Council’s (GMC) evolving workplace requirements across its UK estate. Crown has held the contract since 2021, delivering move and storage services together with furniture refurbishment and sustainable workplace solutions.
The contract was recently re-awarded to Crown for a further five-year period, recognising the value delivered throughout the term of the agreement and Crown’s ability to support GMC’s workplace change programme through innovative and sustainable service delivery.
THE CHALLENGE
At contract mobilisation, GMC provided Crown with a comprehensive spreadsheet inventory detailing all assets held in storage across its estate. The requirement extended beyond traditional storage management. GMC sought a partner capable of:
• Improving visibility and control of stored assets.
• Reducing unnecessary expenditure on new furniture purchases.
• Extending the lifespan of existing workplace assets.
• Supporting ESG objectives through practical circular economy initiatives.
• Delivering a seamless move management and MAC service across its national office portfolio.
With offices located across Manchester, London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Edinburgh, GMC required a centrally managed solution capable of supporting workplace changes quickly and efficiently across the UK – with move activity concentrated primarily in Manchester.
OUR SOLUTION
Strategic Storage Consolidation
Following a collaborative review of GMC’s estate requirements, Crown transferred all stored assets into its Wolverhampton storage facility. The location was jointly selected as the optimum national hub, providing efficient coverage of GMC’s office network whilst centralising inventory management. This consolidation created a single source of truth for all stored furniture and equipment assets and enabled improved utilisation of existing inventory before new purchases were considered.
Digital Asset Profiling
Upon arrival into storage, every asset underwent a comprehensive inventory process which included:
- Detailed asset verification
- Photographic recording
- Condition assessment
- Asset categorisation
- Lifecycle evaluation
Each item was assigned a condition status:
- Green – Suitable for immediate redeployment
- Amber – Minor refurbishment required
- Red – Significant refurbishment required or unsuitable for direct reuse
For all red and amber-rated assets, Crown produced costed refurbishment recommendations, enabling GMC to make informed decisions regarding repair, replacement, redeployment or disposal.
Furniture Refurbishment Programme
A key component of the contract was the introduction of a structured refurbishment programme designed to maximise GMC’s existing asset base.
Furniture identified as suitable for refurbishment was restored to office-ready condition through services including:
- Re-upholstery
- Surface repairs
- Component replacement
- Furniture reconfiguration
- Cleaning and restoration
This approach significantly extended furniture life cycles and reduced capital expenditure on replacement assets.
Circular Economy Delivery
Where refurbishment was not commercially viable, Crown implemented its Circulate approach.
Assets were assessed for:
- Internal reuse
- Resale through approved channels
- Component harvesting
- Donation through Crown’s Giving Back Project
- Responsible recycling as a final option
This ensured that furniture was maintained at its highest possible value for as long as possible, minimising waste and supporting GMC’s environmental objectives.
RESULTS
Improved Asset Visibility
The photographic inventory and condition reporting process provided GMC with complete visibility of its furniture estate, allowing informed decisions regarding storage, reuse and refurbishment.
Enhanced Sustainability Performance
The combination of refurbishment, reuse, resale and charitable donation delivered substantial circular economy benefits, reducing waste and supporting GMC’s sustainability agenda.
Long-Term Partnership
The success of the programme and the value generated through Crown’s innovative approach led to GMC re-awarding the contract for a further five years, providing continuity of service and supporting GMC’s future workplace transformation plans.
Flexible Workplace Change Support
Over the duration of the contract, Crown has successfully delivered numerous:
- Workplace reconfigurations
- Internal office moves
- Furniture installations
- Estate rationalisation projects
- Refurbishment schemes
- Storage and logistics services
Alongside core move and storage services, Crown has delivered furniture refurbishment, sustainable clearances and related workplace projects throughout the contract term.
Reduced Capital Spend
By prioritising refurbishment and redeployment, GMC significantly reduced the need to purchase new furniture, maximising value from existing assets .
Why Crown Workspace?
The retention of the GMC contract was driven by Crown’s ability to deliver more than traditional move management services.
Our Circulate proposition underpins every aspect of the GMC MAC programme by:
- Prioritising reuse before replacement
- Extending asset lifecycles through refurbishment
- Diverting furniture from landfill
- Creating measurable environmental and social value
- Supporting responsible procurement objectives
By combining operational excellence with circular economy principles, Crown has helped GMC transform the way workplace assets are managed, stored, refurbished and redeployed, creating a sustainable and cost-effective model for workplace change.
Client Benefits at a Glance
- National Moves & Changes Programme
- Centralised Asset Management and Storage
- Photographic Asset Inventory and Condition
- Reporting
- Furniture Refurbishment Services
- Sustainable Reuse and Donation Initiatives
- Reduced Furniture Replacement Costs
- Enhanced ESG and Circularity Outcomes
- Contract Successfully Renewed for a Further Five Years
“Through a combination of move management expertise, asset visibility, refurbishment and circular economy principles, Crown Workspace has helped the General Medical Council maximise the value of its workplace assets while supporting ongoing workplace transformation across its UK estate.”