Last week, the SPN team celebrated running our first webinar with University of Technology Sydney with a crepe for good! It was Homelessness Week, and For Change Co., the social enterprise led by our Head of Community Engagement Miranda Campbell, was collaborating with Hope St Radio on an incredible initiative. We headed over to show our support, enjoy some good food and celebrate the work Miranda and her team are doing to create opportunities and positive change. In fact it was a real commemoration as Mark Osafo tried (and loved) his very first crêpe! It was a perfect reminder that community is built in these shared moments, whether we are in a webinar sharing ideas or out in the world supporting the enterprises driving impact. #SocialProcurement #HomelessnessWeek #CallForChangeCo #HopeStRadio #SPNCommunity

Yesterday, we partnered with University of Technology Sydney to explore the inter-jurisdictional challenges of social procurement in Australia’s construction sector. We’ll be publishing a full wrap-up next week, but here are some of our key takeaways: - Policy ambition vs. delivery reality – Targets need to be backed by practical strategies and market capacity. - Collaboration is critical – Government, industry, and community must co-design for success. - Measure what matters – To go beyond numbers to track lasting business growth and community benefit. - Local context matters – One size doesn’t fit all, but consistent language can reduce red tape. Thank you to our brilliant speakers: Tina Eastman, Dave Higgon, Kirsten Crook, and Aaron Blazic for sharing their insights and experiences so openly. Thanks for Martin Loosemore & Suhair Alkilani for the fabulous collaboration! #SocialProcurement #Infrastructure #SocialImpact #SPN

What does it really take to deliver social impact through procurement in construction across Australia? Join the Social Procurement Network x University of Technology Sydney as we bring together leading voices from industry and academia to unpack the complexities, jurisdictional differences, and on-the-ground realities of embedding social procurement in major projects. Panellists: • Tina Eastman – Fredon (VIC) • Dave Higgon – Multiplex (NSW) • Kirsten Crook – Engagement & Social Procurement Specialist (QLD) • Aaron Blazic – Social Procurement Network & Suburban Connect Moderated by: Distinguished Professor Martin Loosemore of University of Technology Sydney 🗓 Thursday 7 August 🕐 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM AEST 📍 Free online webinar This conversation goes beyond policy and looks at the delivery, challenges, and whether social procurement is truly delivering better solutions. Co-hosted by the University of Technology Sydney and the Social Procurement Network ➡️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/gW7-Ne7K #SocialProcurement #Construction #Engineering #PublicValue #SPNCommunity #SustainableSupplyChains #socialimpact #socialenterprise #diversesuppliers

We’re thrilled to announce that Aaron Blazic has joined the Social Procurement Network as our Strategic Communications Manager! Aaron brings deep expertise in social procurement across infrastructure and government policy, backed by a Master’s in Public Policy and experience in the not-for-profit, public, and private sectors. Currently as a Senior Social Impact Advisor at Suburban Connect, he’s delivering social outcomes on one of Melbourne's largest infrastructure projects with a focus on data and insights to drive real change. Last year, Aaron led the review of the Aboriginal Procurement Policy at the Department of Treasury and Finance WA, further demonstrating his commitment to impactful policy reform. 🎙️ Want to hear more about Aaron’s work and insights? Join us at our upcoming webinar hosted in collaboration with University of Technology Sydney, where Aaron will join a panel of social procurement specialists from across Australia to discuss their experiences with social procurement. 🗓️ Date: 7 August 🕐 Time: 1:00-2:00PM 📍 Online ➡️ Register here: https://lnkd.in/gW7-Ne7K Let’s keep building bridges across sectors and states to strengthen our collective impact. #SocialProcurement #SPN #InclusiveEconomy #StrategicCommunications #Webinar #CommunityImpact #ProcurementForChange #AaronBlazic

We're excited to announce an upcoming webinar in collaboration with the University of Technology Sydney! Join us online on Thursday 7 August, 1–2pm (AEST) for a vital conversation exploring the true costs and benefits of social procurement in the construction industry. Hear from sector leaders, across Australia, as they share real-world experiences and practitioner insights into what’s working, what’s not, and how we can build stronger, more inclusive supply chains. Our speakers include: - Tina Eastman (VIC), Social Procurement Lead at Fredon - Dave Higgon (NSW), Employee Relations Manager at Multiplex - Kirsten Crook (QLD), former Engagement and social procurement specialist - Aaron Blazic (WA), Senior Social Impact Adviser at Suburban Connect. Moderated by: Distinguished Professor Martin Loosemore, University of Technology Sydney Register now to be part of this timely discussion: https://lnkd.in/gW7-Ne7K #SocialProcurement #ConstructionIndustry #Engineering #InclusiveGrowth #SocialValue #EthicalSourcing #SPN #UTS #BetterBusiness #ProcurementForImpact #Webinar

What does meaningful reporting really look like in a values-led procurement system? In our latest session, sponsored by SocialPro, we brought together social benefit suppliers and procurement professionals for an open, energising discussion on rethinking reporting and compliance in social procurement. We were able to host a refreshingly honest and collaborative conversation that created space for meaningful engagement and spark genuine relationships across the sector. We were proud to get some positive feedback on this session and we look forward to sharing our insights from the event. Thanks to our facilitators, our Head of Operations Mark Osafo and SocialPro's Director of Projects and Policies Mariska Price for hosting a great forum. And thanks to everyone who joined us to share practice, challenge assumptions, and help this community grow stronger together. Follow our page to catch the full write-up next week — and keep the conversation going as we build a more inclusive, impact-led procurement system. #SocialProcurement #CommunityImpact #SustainableSupplyChains #EthicalSourcing #ProcurementForGood #SPN #SocialBenefitSuppliers #socialpro

We’re excited to welcome Mark Osafo, SPN’s Head of Operations, and Mariska Price, Director of Projects and Policies at SocialPro, as facilitators for a bold and collaborative session exploring the future of reporting in social procurement. This 2-hour workshop will tackle key questions—how do we balance data with human stories, preserve authenticity in storytelling, and ensure practitioners have a voice in shaping frameworks? This session is designed for social procurement practitioners that want to to challenge assumptions, share ideas, and co-create better ways forward. Only 3 tickets left—secure yours now by registering here: https://lnkd.in/gwufQ7Ey #SocialProcurement #ImpactReporting #ProcurementInnovation #SPNWorkshop #SocialPro #SedoGroup #ArcBlue