Purposeful Purchasing is an initiative that was developed by accessWORKS in 2008 (and supported by 2010 Legacies Now), with one clear principle: that every dollar spent, if spent with purpose, will advance the economic inclusion of people with disabilities.
The Purposeful Purchasing initiative is about bringing together disability missioned organizations in British Columbia who recognize the potential of this powerful principle and to support them in looking at their own purchasing with that lens.
The UCS Co-op has been a key player from the beginning, serving on an advisory committee. In February, we were pleased to welcome Purposeful Purchasing as an official program of the Co-op and we are busily working to integrate the program into our own stable of purchasing programs for our non-profit owner-members, and aim to roll out the next phase of Purposeful Purchasing starting in the fall.
As part of the start-up of this initiative, eight pilot non-profits have gone through training on how to analyze their own spending and also on how to work with their suppliers. The Co-op is working closely with these pilot organizations to support: 1) their continued work of integrating Purposeful Purchasing into their organizational culture and procurement policies and 2) their working with suppliers.
But what is “purposeful” in this context? It’s about purchasing from businesses who are Disability Confident. Disability Confidence (DC) is a term developed in the UK with the Employers Forum on Disability, and we are learning from their example. DC is about understanding how disability affects every aspect of business and about being dedicated to creating a culture of inclusion, through purchasing policies, hiring practices, and inclusive customer relations training.
The Co-op is excited about the potential for Purposeful Purchasing and look forward to evolving our own purchasing procedures and products with a more purposeful lens. If you would like to learn more about this initiative, do not hesitate to contact us.