Social Procurement
DEFINition
Leveraging money that will already be spent on contracts by governments, private companies or nonprofits to also further a social good. This often involves buying contracts for goods and services from social enterprises with the intention of making a positive social impact (such as job creation for a historically disadvantaged community). Definition from David LePage of BuySocial Canada.
Resources
Social Procurement in Alberta
Gives a brief overview of the rationale for social procurement, relevant examples, and helpful resources.
Social Purchasing & Procurement with David LePage
In this video David talks about social purchasing: what, why, and how, as well as steps to implement social procurement
Buy Social Canada’s Guide to Social Procurement
Shares the what, why, and how of social procurement in Canada.
Alberta Examples
Be Local
A Calgary-based network of local businesses that care about the community and the environment.
The City of Edmonton
The City of Edmonton is developing a social procurement policy and has offered contracts to social-purpose businesses such as its contract with Redemptive Developments for mattress recycling.
Wood Buffalo
Wood Buffalo was one of the first municipalities to create a social procurement policy and implement pilot projects that use social procurement.
Outside Alberta examples
Buy Social Canada
Buy Social Canada publishes case studies that feature different social procurement initiatives across the country.
The City of Toronto
Dive into the strategy and structure of the City of Toronto’s social procurement plan.
The Village of Cumberland
Dive into the strategy and structure of the Village of Cumberlands social procurement plan.