Increasingly, governments and organisations are leveraging their purchasing power for social good. This practice is known as social procurement. With global procurement in the trillions, choosing social enterprises as suppliers can create a substantial positive impact. It matters to consumers too - research shows that despite rising living costs, 61% of consumers will pay more to an ethical business that has a social impact.

In WA, some businesses are making significant strides in both economic growth and social impact, tackling issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, mental health and employment for marginalised individuals.

Join us on Thursday, June 20, from 6pm-9pm for our event Buying the Good Stuff: Creating a Marketplace for Social Enterprise, where WASEC will showcase businesses making a positive impact. We’ll explore what’s needed to make ethical purchasing mainstream to create a thriving marketplace for social entrepreneurs in Western Australia.

The evening will be chaired by journalist Emma Young from WAToday. Emma has covered the social impact space extensively throughout her career and donates half of the royalties from her latest book to the environmental think tank, Beyond Zero Emissions.

Speakers:

Franco Randazzo, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Loop Upcycling
Frank Mitchell, Director, Kardan Construction
Bronwyn Bate, CEO and Founder, Mettle Women Inc.
Anthony MacShane, Founder, Reboot Australia
Andrew Davy, Assistant Director, Social Procurement & Sector Capability, WA Government
Ben Kent, Senior Manager of Community Impact and Engagement, RAC
John Gibbs, Brewing Director, Spinifex Brewing Co.

Ticket includes:

A welcome drink courtesy of Spinifex Brewing Co., supporting Veteran and Indigenous communities with native-infused brews
Light snacks from Gather Foods, an award-winning First Nations catering company offering mentorship to Aboriginal youth
A chance to explore "Metamorphoses," an exhibition showcasing artists from Western Australia's south, emphasising connections to nature

FORM Gallery and Cafe occupies one of Western Australia’s oldest surviving railway buildings, built in 1886 as a goods shed for the railway line. It’s now a not-for-profit cultural community hub promoting WA artists and developing creativity across the state. Among others, it is involved in the Silo Trail and brought Thomas Dambo's Giants of Mandurah to WA.

Getting there The event location is at Claremont train station plus, there is plenty of free parking outside the gallery and across the road.