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The partners, purchasers, and suppliers of the Toronto Social Purchasing
Portal invite you to join them in fostering commercial growth and
social benefit within the city's many communities.
Contact us at info@spptoronto.org
or (416) 767-1855.
The Social Purchasing Portal
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.
How it Works
The portal is a web-based, business-to-business database that facilitates
relationships between purchasers and suppliers. Suppliers that list
on the portal benefit from increased business, which creates additional
employment opportunities for individuals who require further support
to enter the workforce.
The portal provides Toronto-based corporations with an easy opportunity
to engage in corporate social responsibility. Without spending any
more money than they already do on everyday expenses such as catering,
cleaning, and landscaping, corporations can have a positive social
impact in their community.
The Benefits
The most powerful reason to engage with the Social Purchasing Portal
is its capacity to generate direct benefit for all involved.
Purchasers
• Continue to buy products and services on the basis of price,
quality, and service knowing your money is working to add greater
social value to your community
• Foster your company's reputation with your employees, clients,
and shareholders through increased social responsibility
Suppliers
• Gain new customers and grow your market share
• Provide access to jobs for individuals who require further
support to enter the workforce
Individuals
• Find employment and make a contribution to your own and
your community's social and economic development
How Successful Is It?
Vancouver's Fast Track to Employment (FTE) initiated the program
in partnership with the BC Technology Social Venture Partners in
June of 2004. The Vancouver portal now has over 100 purchasing partners
and 50 suppliers participating in the venture. To date, the Vancouver
has generated over $500,000 of targeted business activity and has
created over 70 jobs for youth at risk and other individuals who
require further support to enter the workforce.
The Partners
The Toronto Social Purchasing Portal is a collaborative initiative
of the Learning
Enrichment Foundation, Miziwe
Biik, and the Information
Technology Association of Canada for Ontario (ITAC Ontario)
with generous financial support from the Ontario
Trillium Foundation. The Social Purchasing Portal partners private
sector corporations committed to socially-responsible business practices
with voluntary sector organizations facilitating community-based
economic development to foster market growth and job creation.
The Learning Enrichment Foundation
LEF provides community responsive programs and services which enable
individuals to become valued contributors to their community's social
and economic development. LEF remains a leader in community economic
development by using strategies that create long-term employment
opportunities, that prepare individuals for employment, that support
local businesses, that support people within the workforce, that
encourage innovation, and that integrate social and economic goals.
For more information, contact:
Peter Frampton
pframpton@lefca.org
(416) 767-1855
Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training
Miziwe Biik is committed to improving the quality of life for the
Aboriginal community in the GTA. Training, employment and entrepreneur
development opportunities are offered in a culturally supportive
environment where community members can affirm their Aboriginal
identity and develop their full potential. Miziwe Biik is committed
to strengthening the community through social and economic partnerships
that promote equality and economic self-reliance.
For more information, contact:
Kenn Ross
kross@miziwebiik.com
www.miziwebiik.com
The Information Technology Association of Canada for Ontario
(ITAC Ontario)
ITAC Ontario is the leading voice for the IT industry in Ontario.
The 300 companies that constitute the membership of the organization
account for approximately 70% of the IT industry in the province.
ITAC Ontario seeks to foster a prosperous and dynamic IT industry
through offering experience and advice to the Government of Ontario
in the formation of policy and legislation. The association also
works to focus the skill of the industry towards addressing societal
needs in health and education and to develop economic clusters of
IT companies through a variety of networking opportunities. ITAC
Ontario recognizes the valuable role the voluntary sector plays
within the province and is dedicated to leveraging the power of
IT to their advantage.
For more information, contact:
Geoffrey MacDougall
(416) 737-5712
gmacdougall@itac.ca
www.itac.ca
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