Every purchase has an economic, environmental, cultural and social impact, whether intended or not. Social procurement is about capturing those impacts and seeking to make intentional positive contributions to both the local economy and the overall vibrancy of the community.

Individual consumers are already considering the impact of their purchases by buying products certified as fair trade, local, organic and ethical. By scaling up this growing trend to include tourism, hospitality and events, the potential impact could be tremendous.

Businesses, non-profits and individuals working in tourism, hospitality and events can use this guide to learn about social procurement and how to apply social procurement in a sector where leveraging social value from purchasing can have a powerful and positive ripple effect on communities.