Training

Build your team with the skills and knowledge to buy and sell with impact wherever you’re at in your journey.

Training for Purchasers
  • Social Procurement Professional Certificate
  • Social Procurement Introduction: What, Why and How
  • Social Procurement Implementation: Tools and Templates for Action
  • Social Procurement in Construction: Community Benefit Agreements

 

Training for Suppliers
  • Introduction to the SUPER Project
  • Procurement for Social Value Suppliers
  • Storytelling for Social Value Suppliers
Custom packages available

All social procurement training can be delivered as part of a Buy Social Canada consulting package, Social Purchasing Partnership or as a stand-alone. Packages and prices are tailored to your needs. For more information about training and consulting packages contact Tori

Social Procurement

Professional Certificate

This certificate program has been developed to provide both private and public sector participants with in-depth knowledge of the fundamental components of social procurement success; how to create a social value culture within your organization; steps needed to develop Social Procurement policy; and how to implement social procurement practices into your current RFx processes, to leverage procurement spend to drive more social value.

The course consists of four 2-hour virtual trainings with interactive hands on activities and homework, and can qualify for continuing professional development (CPD) hours.

Read the course outline (pdf)

Cost:
$499 + tax Early bird (see deadlines below)
$585 + tax Regular

Suitable for:
  • Senior government leadership looking to use procurement to improve social value and community outcomes
  • Senior private sector leadership looking to use social value as a competitive advantage and drive business growth
  • Procurement staff (public and private) conducting the purchase of goods & services, consulting, construction and IT
  • Mid level managers aiming to deliver on the social value goals of their organization
Upcoming Cohorts
  • February 2025 Cohort: February 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2025 from 10am – 12pm PT / 1 – 3pm ET.
    (Application deadline: February 3; Early bird deadline: January 9)
Accompanying Materials:
  • Course Outline
  • Social Procurement Learning Library
  • Custom worksheets
  • Guide to Social Procurement
  • Social Value Menu Series
Register Now
Photo credit: Yvonne Hollandy, Axiom News

The Social Procurement Professional Certificate course was an engaging and refreshing course with a good mix of theory and practice with plenty of opportunity for discussion. I have nothing but praise for the way the course was delivered and the content. The course modules were clear and concise and were incredibly informative with an abundance of examples and tools that you can really use! Buy Social Canada really live what they teach which makes it a very rich learning experience. Regardless of the stage you’re at in your social procurement journey, I highly recommend taking this certification course!

Lisa Myre
SENIOR PROGRAM LEAD FOR PROCUREMENT SERVICES AT UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

Developed in partnership with…

The Social Procurement Professional Certificate is developed in partnership with Sarah Aspinall, the founder of BGSD Consulting Corporation. Sarah’s focus is on elevating community benefit through Social & Sustainable Procurement Advisory Services. Formerly the Director, Supply Management at The City of Calgary, she was the program lead and driving force behind the Benefit Driven Procurement project (aka Social Procurement). Prior to joining The City, Sarah held senior leadership positions at Canadian Pacific and ALSTOM.

A headshot of Sarah Aspinall. She has short hair and wears a white collared shirt. She is standing outside in front of greenery.

Learn more about Sarah

Social Procurement Introduction

Why, What & How

This training is an introduction to social procurement covering the why, what and how including the evolution of social procurement, key concepts and best practice examples.

Suitable for:
  • Anyone interested in learning about social procurement opportunities.
Accompanying Materials:
  • Guide to Social Procurement
Inquire Today
Certified Social Enterprise: East Van Roasters

Social Procurement Implementation

Tools and Templates for Action

This training introduces the key steps to take social procurement from a concept to an implemented practice. Topics covered include policy and goal alignment, opportunity identification processes, drafting social value RFx language, evaluation, and identifying contract and reporting metrics. This training is highly adaptable and can be tailored to cover specific topics including trade agreement thresholds and opportunities for government purchasers.

Suitable for:
  • Anyone involved in the design or implementation of social procurement.
Accompanying Materials:
  • Social Value Menu: Tools for Implementation for Goods and Services
Inquire Today
Certified Social Enterprise: EcoEquitable

Social Procurement in Construction

Community Benefit Agreements

Participants learn about the concepts of community benefit agreements (CBA) and an overview of the steps to integrate into the design, build and operations phases of development projects.

Suitable for:
  • Government teams
  • Developers, general contractors and sub-contractors
  • Community-based groups learning about or negotiating a CBA
  • Infrastructure Canada’s Community Employment Benefits Initiative
Accompanying Materials:
  • Community Benefit Agreements Templates for Implementation
  • Community Employment Benefits Templates for Implementation
Inquire Today
Certified Social Enterprise: Embers

Social Procurement Supplier Readiness

SUPER Project

A suite of tools, resources and training to elevate the capacity of social enterprises and social value suppliers to access procurement opportunities.

The SUPER Project is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Investment Readiness Program.

Suitable for:
  • Social enterprises or other businesses with a social value
  • With an interest in accessing social procurement opportunities
Accompanying Materials:
  • Supplier Guide to Social Procurement
Certified Social Enterprise: The Raw Carrot

A SUPER Training Program

Storytelling for Social Value Suppliers

Become an impactful storyteller.

This three-part, hands-on training will delve into the art and importance of storytelling through the unique lens of social value suppliers. At the end of the workshop you will have developed a short video, using free online software, to share on your website or social media.

The SUPER Project is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Investment Readiness Program.

View the workshop brochure (pdf)

Cost:
$6500 for a private cohort with up to 20 participants.

Is this training right for you?
  • You are a social value supplier.
  • You are engaged in communications activities at your business
  • You want to learn some simple tools to make easy videos and share your stories of impact
Schedule a cohort on demand

This course is suitable for cohorts of up to 20 people. If you’re interested in learning more, please get in touch with us.

Certified Social Enterprise: Embers

A SUPER Training Program

Procurement for Social Value Suppliers

Reach your procurement potential. At the end of this four-week, in-depth training you will finish the program with foundational tools to bid for contracts.

Topics that will be covered include finding opportunities, responding to bids and telling your social value story. Each week will comprise of a two-hour session hosted online.

View the workshop brochure (pdf)

Cost:
$6500 for a private cohort with up to 20 participants.

Is this training right for you?
  • You are a social value supplier.
  • You sell goods or services which can be bought by businesses, governments or institutions.
  • You are ready to learn about procurement and grow into opportunities for big contracts, and therefore big impact.
Schedule a cohort on demand

This course is suitable for cohorts of up to 20 people. If you’re interested in learning more, please get in touch with us.

Certified Social Enterprise: East Van Roasters

“Buy Social Canada did such an awesome job with this training program. You social value focus was clearly inherent in your pedagogy. Thank you!”

Participant
Storytelling for Social Value Suppliers