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Social Procurement

Every purchase the university makes carries an economic, environmental and social impact. So when we make purchases with social procurement as a consideration, we are intentionally placing social value alongside economic value in our decision-making process. 

This initiative is part of an ongoing partnership between Financial Services and the Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion (OVPECI) to develop a Social Procurement Program and corresponding policies for TMU. 

Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC)

As a member of CAMSC, TMU has access to a range of products and services from Indigenous and and racialized-owned businesses that operate in Canada. These suppliers are vetted by CAMSC certification (external link) , which includes the criteria that the business is at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by an Indigenous Person(s) or racialized person(s).

Not only will this enable the university to diversify the supply chain within which TMU conducts business, but also allows us to support the CAMSC’s efforts to increase engagement, inclusion and utilization of products and services from its diverse network.

As outlined by the CAMSC, the current economic climate in Canada has “led the private sector to assume a more active role within the communities in which they do business.” Strong partnerships between government, institutions, major corporations and small businesses will allow for a more “equitable distribution of wealth, the creation of employment opportunities, and creation of an expanded customer base.”

This new partnership means that TMU employees, faculties and departments making purchasing decisions now have access to over 450 certified suppliers in the CAMSC network.

How Purchasing Services can support you

Wherever possible, Purchasing Services will proactively prioritize suppliers from the CAMSC network on behalf of TMU. Our purchasing analysts will be reviewing our vendor spends across the university to identify opportunities to engage vendors from CAMSC. 

If you are beginning a new procurement process, contact Purchasing Services who will review the list of CAMSC suppliers and provide you recommendations and support. 

Selecting suppliers from the CAMSC network means we can make purchases with the confidence that our choice invests in the advancement of Indigenous and racialized communities.

Additional social procurement initiatives and partnerships

The university is also a named partner in the AnchorTO (external link)  network—a City of Toronto community of practice project for public sector institutions. By participating in the network, TMU has committed to leveraging its procurement and investments to achieve inclusive economic development outcomes.

In 2019, TMU participated along with the University of Toronto and AnchorTO in a MaRS innovation project entitled Buying With Impact (external link) . Together, we developed a playbook to guide post-secondary institutions in the Greater Toronto Area in procuring more goods and services from social enterprises. The playbook will play a strong role as TMU formalizes its social procurement policy at the university.

Questions?

For assistance finding and connecting with a supplier from the CAMSC network, or if you have any questions about social procurement at TMU, please contact the Financial Services Purchasing Services department.