Consider social procurement

When buying for the Queensland Government, consider how you can adopt a responsible public procurement approach, by pursuing social procurement.

Social procurement is when buyers use their purchasing power to generate social value in addition to the goods and services they require.

How to find social enterprise

• To find Social Traders certified social enterprises, you can access the Social Traders Social Enterprise Finder.
• To find People and Planet First verified social enterprises, you can access the Queensland Social Enterprise Council directory.

How to find Indigenous businesses

The following Indigenous business directories, as determined by the Director-General, Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism, can be used to find certifies Indigenous businesses:

• Black Business Finder
• Supply Nation Indigenous Business Directory
• Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.

Benefits of social procurement

• Creates job and employment opportunities through smarter procurement processes, targeted clauses and specifications in contracts, and better-informed government buyers.
• Addresses complex local challenges.
• Promotes fair and ethical trade.
• Enhances social inclusion, giving vulnerable groups the opportunity to participate in the community and the economy.
• Increases supplier diversity by engaging social benefit suppliers to play a larger role in delivery of government contracts.

What to consider when buying

• Ensure social value is pursued when undertaking your procurement activities.
• Before buying, seek advice from Queensland Government Procurement, your legal team and organisations established to support social benefit suppliers.
• Make sure social procurement clauses in tenders or contracts are proportional—make it achievable for suppliers to fulfil their social benefit obligations.

How to achieve social procurement

Here are some of the many effective ways to deliver social value when buying for government.

• Buy from Social Benefit Suppliers (this includes social enterprises, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, and enterprises that support people with a disability).
• Include social clauses in tenders and contracts—ask that a portion of work be completed by a Social Benefit Supplier, or require mainstream suppliers to deliver social value such as employment opportunities for disadvantaged Queenslanders.
• Consider the local community you are buying for—how could you make a positive difference through your choice of supplier?
• Purchase fair trade products.
• Seek out organisations that provide employment to disadvantaged Queenslanders; for example, organisations that provide opportunities for people with a disability.

Understanding social procurement

This animated video highlights how there is always an opportunity for government buyers to undertake social procurement.

Watch

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