Wednesday 31 October 2018
Impact-led business takes leap forward with new online platform
Social Procurement takes a leap forward at an event in Auckland today with the official launch of New Zealand’s first
online social procurement platform.
The Ākina Foundation and New Zealand Post are launching Fwd: (pronounced “Forward”), a new platform for socially and
environmentally minded businesses. Fwd: includes an online marketplace that connects buyers with certified social
enterprises.
The initiative is considered New Zealand’s first platform for social procurement – the idea that businesses can generate social and environmental benefits by purchasing the goods and services they
need to operate from social enterprises.
Chief Executive of the Ākina Foundation, Louise Aitken, is excited by the changing attitudes that are moving companies
away from business models that focus solely on financial return, and also take social and environmental impact into
account. She sees the online marketplace as a key tool in driving that change.
“Businesses have the power to deliver social and environmental change simply by choosing to do business with impact-led
enterprises” she says.
“Over $560 billion was spent by businesses in Aotearoa last year. If even a small portion of that can be directed to
suppliers who work to improve people’s lives or care for our planet – the collective impact is enormous”.
Last year New Zealand Post set a public social procurement target to add three social enterprises to their supply chain.
They went beyond this, with the addition of five social enterprises and an additional sixth being trialled currently.
This work was recognised at the 2018 EY Procurement Awards, at which New Zealand Post was the supreme winner. The Ākina
and New Zealand Post partnership has been named as a finalist at this year's NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards.
New Zealand Post developed the fwd: marketplace alongside Ākina, and they are on board as one of the first big
businesses on the platform.
“It’s really important to us that who we chose to do business with reflects who we are as a company” says New Zealand
Post CEO David Walsh.
“We’re proud to have offered contracts that have resulted in jobs for people with disabilities, diverted waste from
landfills, supported fair trade and gender equity, and tackled equity issues in employment,” he says.
“Ultimately, we see social enterprise as a way to help Kiwis help themselves, and build resilience within the
communities in which New Zealand Post operates.”
Fwd: is part-funded by the Social Enterprise Sector Development Programme, which is the partnership between Government
and the Ākina Foundation. The goal of the development programme is to enable a flourishing social enterprise sector in
New Zealand.
Fwd: is launching with close to 40 certified social enterprises, and another ten lined up to be certified soon. A number
of well-known social enterprises like Kilmarnock Enterprises and new ones, such as All Heart NZ are included in the
first group of suppliers on the platform.
Dr Sean Barnes, Social Procurement Lead at the Ākina Foundation considers Fwd: as the start of a journey for social
procurement in New Zealand.
“Government, New Zealand Post and Ākina are working to lead this conversation, but we know we can’t do it alone” he
says.
“We’re putting the challenge out there to other businesses to get involved. Find out more about social enterprises. Take
a look at your supply chain; small changes add up to a huge positive impact when we work together”
Dr Barnes recommends that anyone interested in more information could visit www.fwd.org.nz or get in touch with the Ākina Foundation.
ends