Mirvac, one of Australia’s leading diversified property groups has launched a new project in partnership with Social Traders to help boost the capability of local social enterprises.

Social enterprises are businesses that work to improve communities and have a social purpose at the core of what they do. With current social, environmental, and economic challenges, buying from these businesses helps contribute to a more equitable Australia.

Latest insights (Profile of Australia’s Certified Social Enterprises 2022) tell us that in Australia, the certified social enterprise sector has grown to $1.8 billion in annual revenue - employing 26,000 people including 12,000 from disadvantaged or marginalised groups.

Mirvac is a founding member of Social Traders, having worked with the organisation since 2015, and have now progressed their commitment to ‘business for good’, with the launch of a new Supplier Development Program, a first-of-its-kind partnership that will accelerate the growth of certified social enterprises.

The project will see Mirvac sponsor four industry related social enterprises and offer intensive training and support to each of them. The program will accelerate their capabilities, allowing greater business capacity to deliver on commercial opportunities.

Mirvac Group General Manager, Sustainability, Sarah Clarke said: “At Mirvac, we look to make choices every day that create positive outcomes for our customers, for our communities, and for each other.

““Purchasing from social enterprises provides a two-fold advantage: it generates a positive social impact while also benefiting businesses. By supporting these enterprises, large companies can use their buying power to drive positive change, contributing to important community issues, and making their supply chains more diverse.

“How we buy matters, so we are evolving our procurement strategies to prioritise suppliers who deliver a social impact, enabling us to use our buying power for good.

“We’ve set ourselves the goal to direct $100 million to the social sector by 2030. To help achieve this we are doing things like investing in this program, where we hope to drive the growth of certified social enterprises and demonstrate our support for the sector.

We want to help these suppliers unlock new capability so that they can service large organisations like Mirvac and ultimately deliver a greater positive impact in the community.”

The Supplier Development Program is designed to measure the impacts of Mirvac's contribution to social enterprise growth. Mirvac employees participating in the program will receive dedicated support and assistance from Social Traders to help them lead social procurement best practice.

Social Traders CEO, Tara Anderson said: "We're thrilled to partner with Mirvac in their commitment to social procurement and to support the growth of social enterprises in Australia.

“Mirvac's Supplier Development Program sets a new standard for corporate social responsibility in Australia and marks a significant milestone in the growth of social enterprise procurement.

“We believe social procurement is a tangible way you can use the money you’re already spending today, to contribute to a better tomorrow."

As the trailblazers of social enterprise procurement, Social Traders provide capability training and networking opportunities for their corporate members to make meaningful connections with certified suppliers.

Mirvac’s vision is to reimagine urban life and be a force for good in its communities. The organisation has a strategic plan, covering all facets of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) - along with a commitment to maintain supply chain integrity.

With employees and customers increasingly demanding responsible business practices, this partnership is a timely and strategic move towards a more sustainable and equitable future through business for good.

Learn more about Mirvac's Sustainable Procurement Strategy