What is the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP)?
The Social Purchasing Portal allows corporations to leverage existing purchasing power to expand business opportunities for suppliers who provide added social value to their community. Corporate purchasers use the portal to buy goods and services such as office supplies, couriers, catering, and promotional materials from suppliers who agree to hire individuals who require further support to enter the workforce.

Why does this model work?
The Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) is effective because it uses a demand-driven business model to create social value. The portal provides measurable outcomes such as jobs for individuals who require further support to enter the workforce, targeted economic growth, and social enterprise development. The Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) enables local employment organizations to become more effective by facilitating access to new jobs. The portal takes advantage of a national network of resources and opportunities built on a foundation of partnerships and relationships. The Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) not only meets the needs of businesses, social enterprises, and community employment agencies, it makes local communities stronger and more sustainable.

What is the “social value” of transactions which occur through the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP)?
A social value is created from a business transaction if it generates economic development in non-monetary ways, such as creating employment opportunities for the hard-to-employ, and supporting social enterprise growth.

How do I know the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) works?
Vancouver's Fast Track to Employment (FTE) initiated the program in partnership with the BC Technology Social Venture Partners in June, 2003. In less than a year over 100 purchasing partners and 50 suppliers were online generating over $1,000,000 of targeted business activity and creating over a 70 jobs for youth at risk and hard-to-employ persons through the participating suppliers. The Ottawa SPP seeks to build upon this success.

Why does Corporate Social Responsibility make good business sense?
A recent GlobeScan poll conducted for its annual Corporate Social Responsibility Monitor shows that 83% of Canadians believe that corporations should go beyond their traditional economic role. Over half say they have avoided doing business with a socially irresponsible company in the past year. Businesses are starting to understand their need to demonstrate corporate social responsibility. In 2002, KPMG found that 45% of the top 250 Fortune Global 500 companies issue environmental, social or sustainability reports.

Corporate social responsibility not only increases a company's reputation with its employees, stakeholders, and community, but also leads to more environmentally-friendly business practices, facilitates community-based market growth, and encourages cost-effective business practices. Corporate Social Responsibility is good for everybody's bottom line.

How does the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) help business?
Businesses engaged with the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) still make their purchasing decisions based upon price, quality and service. The portal enables businesses to inject social value into their buying decisions, giving them the opportunity to contribute to their community. The portal provides a direct and meaningful way to practice corporate social responsibility. In addition, businesses gain access to a ready labour pool of qualified, dedicated individuals for entry level jobs such as forklift operation, office administration, cleaning, shipping, woodworking, and restaurant help.

How does the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) help nonprofit employment agencies?
The Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) provides nonprofit employment agencies with an opportunity to match their clients' skills to employers who look beyond resumes to the quality of the work and dedication individuals can bring to their jobs. Participation in the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) allows nonprofit employment agencies access to more opportunities to help their clients find quality employment.

How does the SPP help social enterprises?
Social enterprises participating in the portal as suppliers of goods and services gain access to new customers. This access increases demand for products and services of social enterprises, enabling them to become more sustainable and create additional employment opportunities for individuals who require assistance to enter the workforce.

How does the community benefit?
Businesses are able to derive a social value from purchases they make every day. Social enterprises increase their sales, which contributes to their sustainability and their ability to create new jobs. Community-based employment agencies are able to provide more of their graduates with jobs. Those who have had difficulty getting jobs in the mainstream economy such as newcomers, youth-at-risk, long-term unemployed, psychiatric consumers / survivors and persons with disabilities, are able to become economically self-sufficient by working with participating suppliers. Everyone in the community benefits.

What do you expect from purchasers involved in the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP)?
Purchasers are expected to support the suppliers involved in the Social Purchasing Portal where appropriate and provide suitable employment opportunities for the communities served by Social Purchasing Portal suppliers. Purchasers may adopt a competitive bid program with a “best value” philosophy of procurement, which means that price will not be the only factor under consideration when buying decisions are made. Purchasers agree to give consideration to suppliers and vendors that are recognized partners in the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP).

What do you expect from suppliers involved in the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP)?
Suppliers are expected to give particular consideration to candidates from the Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) employment pool, allow Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) a “first look” at entry-level positions, and provide feedback to Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) if they are not able to hire through the resume and candidate list provided.

Is the Social Purchasing Portal available anywhere else?
The Social Purchasing Portal is available in Vancouver, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Surrey, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and now in Ottawa. Ten other cities in Canada are in the processes of developing their own portal. This will roll out to other major cities in the U.S. and U.K. in the near future.