One way we are driving change is by creating advocacy for social procurement in the employment sector. For 10 years, our Given the Chance program has developed evidence showing how including social procurement in an employer’s policy increases workplace diversity, equity and inclusion.

We know that when businesses start a social procurement journey, they have to look at new groups of people and how they embrace them. Introducing new hiring (and retention) practices can create a big, organisation-wide, cultural shift.

In May 2018, the Victorian Government announced its social procurement framework . Because BSL is already at the forefront of this work, both in practice and research, we were poised to play a big role in helping this happen.

Since the framework was put in place, we have seen an increase in employers coming to BSL for support. And through Given the Chance, we’ve become a key Jobs Victoria supplier, becoming a provider of choice to the Level Crossing Removal Authority, for example.

Through our research and programs we will contribute to the widespread adoption of social procurement – and greater employment opportunities for those facing disadvantage in the labour market.

Policy research for Parliament of Victoria

In 2019 BSL social policy researcher Maria Mupanemunda was awarded the Victorian Parliamentary Library Fellowship. The fellowship is a research position that aims to advance parliamentary knowledge on an issue of growing political or public importance. Maria investigated social benefits of social procurement and focused on the way in which social procurement facilitates inclusive employment for jobseekers dealing with various forms of labour market disadvantage.

A Victorian Parliamentary Library Fellowship is an opportunity for recipients to engage in public policy, delivering a research paper and seminar on their research to Members of Parliament. The research gives MPs and staff access to ideas on issues that matter to their constituents.

“From the perspective of my research, social procurement is really a tool for inclusive employment,” says Maria. “How can purchasing decisions be used to create opportunities for people with disability or to support social enterprises that hire migrant women, for example?”

As it relates to BSL’s work for an Australia free of poverty, social procurement provides ways to motivate employers to: hire a broader range of jobseekers; involve more social enterprises in their supply chains; and increase training and apprenticeships. Provided certain condition are met, social procurement can be normalised for mainstream business to support people marginalised in the labour market.

“The flow-on effects of giving people decent work are very positive,” says Maria. “Given the Chance is a great example of the way social procurement works and is effective.”

BSL’s goal for social procurement is giving people decent work. It’s not just about getting a person in to a job, it’s about providing adequately paid, ongoing roles that also connect with development opportunities.