Item - 2024.EX19.18

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Social Procurement Policy, as set out in Attachment 1 to the revised report (December 6, 2024) from the Chief Procurement Officer, effective January 1, 2025.

2. City Council direct the Chief Procurement Officer to continue divisional, business and community engagement, in consultation with the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, and report back to the Executive Committee by the fourth quarter of 2026 on the results of this engagement and with recommendations for additional enhancements for the Social Procurement Policy and Program.

3. City Council direct the Chief Procurement Officer, in consultation with the City Solicitor, the City Clerk, the Chief People Officer and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to identify the legal, privacy and information management requirements, and equity considerations that would allow for the collection, storage and use of disaggregated socio-demographic data from individuals in relation to the City's Social Procurement Policy and Program and report back to the Executive Committee by the fourth quarter of 2026 with recommendations.

The purpose of this report is to outline the results of a review of the Social Procurement Program (the "Program") and recommend policy and program improvements. The report summarizes Program output data from 2017 to 2023 to assess the Program's success at meeting its two primary objectives: supporting workforce development and advancing supply chain diversity.

The Program was implemented in 2017 by the Purchasing and Materials Management Division (PMMD), with support from the Social Development, Finance & Administration Division (SDFA), to leverage the City's purchasing power to achieve wider social, economic and workforce development objectives, specifically:

-Supporting inclusive economic development by improving access to the City's supply chain for people from Indigenous, Black, and Equity-deserving communities;

-Leveraging meaningful training and employment opportunities for people experiencing economic disadvantage, including those belonging to Indigenous, Black, and Equity-deserving communities; and

-Shifting the City's procurement culture towards supporting the City's social and equity goals.

In 2021, City Council requested a five-year review of the Program, and instructed staff to report back on successes and opportunities for improvements. As a result of the review, this report recommends:

-Conducting additional business and community engagement, to further develop recommendations from the review findings, particularly with respect to workforce development;

-Identifying the legal, privacy, and information management requirements and equity considerations, in alignment with the City’s Data for Equity Strategy and Guidelines, that would allow for the collection, storage and use of disaggregated socio-demographic data from individuals in relation to the City's Social Procurement Policy and Program; and,

-Amending the Social Procurement Policy to:

-Prioritize commitments in the Reconciliation Action Plan and Confronting Anti-Black Racism Action Plan for supply chain diversity;

-Expand social procurement beyond supplier certification;

-Define Social Enterprises separately from Diverse Suppliers; and,

-Improve clarity.

Program enhancements are proceeding under the Chief Procurement Officer’s authority, including publishing a public social procurement dashboard and updating solicitation templates to clarify requirements, particularly around workforce development target-setting.