What if Our City’s Purchasing Power Empowered Social Enterprise?

Social Procurement Can Secure Social Wins

Peterborough is home to several institutions with tremendous purchasing power. What if those organizations, ones like the City of Peterborough, school boards, housing corporations, the university and college were to adjust their purchasing practices to empower social enterprise?

“Every purchase has an economic, environmental and social impact, whether intended or not. Social procurement is about capturing those impacts and seeking to make intentional positive contributions to both the local economy and the overall vibrancy of the community,” says David LePage, managing partner of Buy Social Canada.

David will be in Peterborough to meet with purchasers, city councillors, social enterprises, and community members who want to learn more.

If you are interested in social enterprise and social procurement you are invited to a community conversation on Wednesday, January 22, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You must register for this free event as seating is limited.

If you choose to join us, please arrive on time. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. and our conversation with David will begin in earnest at 3:00 p.m. This event will be participatory. David will make a presentation. Then participants will explore possibilities and design next steps together.

To learn more about Buy Social Canada check out this 12-minute video, the Guide to Social Procurement and a podcast with David.

Social enterprises are started with social goals as their aim. They participate in the marketplace in order to reach those goals. Rather than extract profits from their marketplace activities for distribution to shareholders and owners, they apply their revenue to the pursuit of their stated social goals. Why not invite our local institutions to purchase things they are already purchasing anyway from local social enterprises?

Social procurement turns purchasing departments into powerful agents for the community growth and social development. It also creates the stability and sustainable funding for a thriving local business and social enterprise ecology. Social procurement leverages existing spending for greater returns.

By bringing social enterprises together with social procurement we can better leverage our local assets for big social wins.

This event is brought to you by Electric City Magazine in collaboration with Buy Social Canada. Thanks goes to Trent University for supplying meeting space.