Gender equitable procurement and supply chains: Insight paper and guide

Gender equitable procurement and supply chain strategies involve organisational procurement of goods and services, which are designed to improve gender equality objectives in either the procuring organisation or the supplying organisation. These strategies comprise of socially responsible purchasing initiatives, whereby organisations source goods and services from businesses to promote:

• the participation of historically disadvantaged groups (such as youth, women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities), and
• other target groups such as Small to Medium Enterprises or local suppliers.

Some organisations use the more specific label of “gender-smart procurement” to describe strategies that encourage procurement of goods and services from women-owned businesses.

There is relatively little academic research on gender equitable procurement and supply chain processes. The research that does exist, is usually found in the research literature on public procurement and corporate social responsibility. The latter encompasses a focus on people involved in processes of producing goods and services, including people employed in supply chains.

This report, commissioned by WGEA, focuses on the two main forms of gender equitable procurement: supplier diversity initiatives to support women-owned businesses and CSR-led policies and practices designed to improve equality for women employed in supply chain organisations.