Use your corporate buying power
as a force for good
Drive positive impact directly through procurement
One way an organisation can drive positive impact is through their supply chains. Social procurement takes place when a company proactively buys from social enterprises who supply goods and services, alongside creating a social and/or environmental impact, for example by creating employment for marginalised groups or repurposing waste material. On average, 60% of a company’s ESG footprint rests within its value chain. Procurement budgets worldwide amount to trillions of dollars, which means that even a 0.1% spend on social enterprises could achieve a multi-billion-dollar impact. Social procurement not only helps companies meet compliance and regulatory requirements but also serves as a powerful way to differentiate their brand and strengthen employee engagement.
H&M and Hasiru Dala Innovations: circularity with a social mission
H&M partners with the India-based social enterprise Hasiru Dala Innovations to transform plastic waste into buttons for global apparel. By sourcing fair-trade recycled PET plastics from informal waste pickers, this collaboration fosters sustainable supply chains, reduces waste, and improves livelihoods in marginalised communities. It’s a model of inclusive circularity driving both social and environmental impact.
A global opportunity: find suppliers at each step of your value chain
Your gateway to social enterprises
The Unusual Partners pool features 500+ inspiring social enterprises offering B2B products and services, across the world and from a wide range of sectors. Curated by Yunus Social Innovation, this database offers detailed profiles of enterprises, in every spend category of the value chain, from direct to indirect services. Find suppliers that align with your sustainability goals, and explore their specific product offerings, regions of operation, and the social and/or environmental issues they address. Start unlocking the potential of social procurement today.
Learn more about Social Procurement
With over 12 years of expertise in social impact, Yunus Social Innovation has conducted extensive research on the potential of social procurement, in collaboration with key ecosystem partners like the Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship. These insights highlight the vast, untapped opportunities in social procurement, featuring success stories, industry-specific trends, and market analyses. Explore practical strategies and tools to integrate social procurement into your organisation and learn how companies that have embraced it are driving long-term business success.
Buying with Impact: start your journey now
Take your procurement strategy to the next level with our "Buying with Impact" series, a comprehensive course designed to help corporate managers integrate social enterprises into their supply chains. Ready to make an impact?
Resources
Entrepreneur Pool
The Unusual Partners pool, which features inspiring social enterprises who are offering B2B products and services across the world, from a wide range of sectors.
Reports
Valuable resources and reports investigating the potential of social procurement, featuring real-life cases and industry or region specific market insights.
Buying with Impact
A comprehensive course designed for corporate managers interested in learning more about social procurement and how to implement it in their organisation.
Curious to learn more? Get in touch with our team!
We are happy to discuss how we can best support you in your social procurement journey.