Social Procurement Policy Guidance
Embedding Social Procurement Policy Guidance and Ethical Sourcing to Deliver Greater Community Value
Grosvenor partnered with a State Government transport agency to design procurement tools, capability frameworks and targeted training that embedded social procurement, ethical sourcing and sustainability outcomes into sourcing processes. As a result, this enabled stronger supplier diversity and improved compliance. It also delivered more consistent, long-term community and economic benefits. As part of this process, Social Procurement Policy Guidance was a key consideration throughout the project.
Situation
A State Government Department is responsible for developing safe, integrated and efficient transport systems for the people. It aimed to leverage its significant buying power to lead in ethical sourcing and deliver value for money. At the same time, this helped provide meaningful social benefits for communities. In line with the department’s Procurement Policy, the client is committed to building a diverse and inclusive supply base. This is done by increasing participation from Small to Medium and Regional Enterprises, Social Enterprises, Australian Disability Enterprises and Aboriginal businesses. Additionally, clear Social Procurement Policy Guidance supports this approach.
To strengthen this commitment, the client sought to uplift the capability of its procurement teams and tender evaluation committees. The goal was for social outcomes including sustainability, local participation, environmental considerations and disability inclusion to be consistently and effectively embedded into sourcing processes.
Task
The internal procurement team required Grosvenor to design high‑quality procurement tools, such as social outcomes question sets, schedule templates, evaluation guidelines, and sample measures. Grosvenor provided training to the sourcing team to ensure these tools are understood and applied with confidence. All work followed the state’s procurement frameworks to safeguard integrity. Consequently, this enabled the client to achieve its long‑term goal of embedding social procurement into everyday sourcing decisions. The approach aligned with the Government’s Social Procurement Policy Guidance and provided a practical framework.
Approach
Grosvenor undertook a comprehensive review of existing procurement policies, guidelines, templates, returnable schedules, workflows and intranet materials. This was done to understand current practice and identify gaps against desired social, sustainability and local participation outcomes.
This analysis was supported by internal workshops to surface opportunities, test assumptions and identify priority areas for uplift.
Using these insights, Grosvenor carried out a number of activities:
› Drafted a suite of returnable schedules, social outcomes–focused proponent questions, social procurement evaluation guidelines and proposed SLA/KPI measures.
– These were developed through co‑design sessions with the client and tested through iterative feedback to ensure alignment with the State’s procurement frameworks and the client’s broader ethical sourcing intent.
› Facilitated feasibility workshops to ensure that Social Outcome SLAs and KPIs were practical and enforceable.
› Delivered targeted training to uplift capability across the sourcing team. Training covered how to apply the new tools, evaluate social outcomes submissions, and embed consistent practices across procurement categories.
› All collateral was refined, finalised and handed over to support future implementation.
Result
The project delivered a comprehensive suite of social procurement tools and guidance. This now enables the client to embed social, environmental and socio-economic considerations systematically and consistently into its sourcing activities. Grosvenor developed a full set of returnable schedules, evaluation matrices and scoring guidelines across all key social outcome areas. These included SME participation, local and regional economic development, social enterprises, disability employment, disadvantaged cohorts, gender equity, safe and fair workplaces, environmental sustainability, waste reduction and modern slavery compliance. These tools give procurement teams clear, practical prompts for what to ask of suppliers. Moreover, they provide transparent mechanisms for assessing commitments and risks. As a result, Social Procurement Policy Guidance underpins every stage of the procurement cycle.
In addition to the tools, Grosvenor created detailed SLA and KPI measures that allow the client to monitor supplier performance over time. This improves accountability and enables more robust reporting of social value. Training delivered to the sourcing team uplifted capability and built confidence in using the materials across real procurement processes. The final product positions the client to more effectively apply State Government procurement policies. Additionally, it helps drive targeted social benefits and enhance value for money through a more diverse, ethical and socially responsible supply chain.
Explore what this could look like in your organisation
Start the conversation with Nicholas Leask, Procurement Lead