Diversity and inclusion at the heart of social procurement pilot

Mar 16th, 2022 | Posted In : General Operations 

Every purchase has an economic, environmental, and social impact, whether intended or not. Leveraging social value from purchasing can have a powerful and positive ripple effect on our communities.

To join the effort in building a more sustainable and thriving community, the University of Toronto is conducting a social procurement pilot.

This one-year pilot will connect participating faculties and departments with diverse suppliers such as social enterprises, equity-deserving and local suppliers.

A social procurement program can:

• Foster an inclusive economy, reduce poverty and create employment opportunities that enrich the community
• Expand the university’s supplier network to provide a greater variety of products and services, encourage competition, and enhance internal value
• Stimulate the local economy by reducing poverty and maximizing return on investment through taxpayers’ dollars
• Contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11

For the duration of the pilot, participants will have access to a Diverse Supplier Portal of vendors providing a wide range of goods and services. The pilot will allow for monitoring of the program prior to full community roll-out.

For more information, see Social Procurement Pilot Program, or email social.procurement@utoronto.ca.