Social Procurement

Social Procurement at Frankston City Council

Frankston City Council is taking positive steps towards increasing its focus on social procurement.

Social procurement is where an organisation uses its purchasing power to create positive social and environmental outcomes, such as creating job opportunities for disadvantaged groups, reducing waste, or supporting local businesses.

By focusing on social procurement, Council can use its purchasing power to make a positive impact in the community. This not only benefits the local economy and society, but can also help achieve sustainability and social justice goals.

Some of the ways Council is looking at increasing social procurement

Purchasing from Social Enterprises

Social enterprises are businesses that dedicate at least 50% of their profits to a social mission.

Social enterprises play an important role in helping tackle social problems, improving communities, providing access to employment and training, and bettering the environment.

Council has been working with the Frankston Social Enterprise Hub to explore opportunities to increase capacity and engagement with social enterprises in the region.

Purchasing from Aboriginal Businesses

The Victorian Government defines an Aboriginal business as:

  • at least 50% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander-owned;
  • undertaking commercial activity; and
  • main business location is in Victoria

The sector includes for-profit businesses, Traditional Owner corporations, social enterprises and community enterprises in metropolitan and regional areas.

Indigenous businesses create wealth for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, are a source of pride, and foster social and economic empowerment.

Purchasing from Australian Disability Enterprises

Australian Disability Enterprises are Commonwealth-funded and generally not-for-profit organisations operating commercially.

They focus on providing supportive employment opportunities for people with disability, allowing for greater independence and inclusion in society.

Engaging with Social Enterprises, Aboriginal Businesses and Australian Disability Enterprises

Through a collaborative EOI process with other local councils in 2022, a Supplier List was compiled of 28 organisations who operate in line with social procurement principles.

Organisations were added based on holding membership to one of the following four bodies:

  • Social Traders – Conducts certification of Social Enterprises and houses a directory of certified Social Enterprises.
  • Buyability – Houses a directory of Social Enterprises that aim to increase employment opportunities for people with a disability.
  • Kinaway – Houses a directory of Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.
  • Supply Nation – Houses a database of verified Indigenous businesses.

Frankston City Council encourages tenderers to access this supplier list to explore opportunities to partner together. See here: Social Procurement Supplier List(XLSX, 4MB)

Back to top