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Despite progress, challenges persist in achieving equity for underrepresented groups like women, racialized persons, and individuals with disabilities in engineering. In this special episode of Engineering the Future, host Jerome James is joined by Sandro Perruzza, CEO of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, to explore the link between procurement policies and equity, diversity and inclusion in engineering services in Ontario.
The need for increased equity, diversity and inclusion in engineering requires those throughout the value chain to make changes. To identify what systemic changes would provide the most impact, OSPE initiated a number of research studies and our findings revealed that greatest impact can be made by modernizing public procurement practices so that those bidding on public sector work are compelled to raise their standards.

Leveraging public sector procurement policies to expand opportunities for women in engineering

Check out our series of research reports:

Four Pillars of Sustainable Procurement

Environmental

Sustainable Procurement considers how the project will impact the environment, modifying it where necessary to reduce ecosystem disruption.

Social

Sustainable Procurement examines processes to ensure they have lasting positive societal benefits, such as fair wages and employment for equity-seeking groups.

Indigenous

Sustainable Procurement ensures that projects are respectful of Indigenous peoples, their lands and existing treaties and agreements.

Ethical

Sustainable Procurement requires that decision-making is ethical in nature, adhering to appropriate oversight.

Environmental

Sustainable Procurement ensures that projects are respectful of Indigenous peoples, their lands and existing treaties and agreements.

Social

Sustainable Procurement examines processes to ensure they have lasting positive societal benefits, such as fair wages and employment for equity-seeking groups.

Indigenous

Sustainable Procurement ensures that projects are respectful of Indigenous peoples, their lands and existing treaties and agreements.

Ethical

Sustainable Procurement requires that decision-making is ethical in nature, adhering to appropriate oversight.

Qualifications-Based Selection

Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) is a process wherein firms are selected based on their qualifications to do a project, instead of their low bid. Integrating EDI principles into this process of prequalifying bidders is a meaningful way to extend your internal practices to the marketplace.

OSPE has been promoting QBS for many years because we believe that it is in the best interest of completing successful projects. It has been shown to protect the public interest over the life cycle of the project, including design, construction, operations, maintenance, and eventual upgrading or decommissioning.

Moving towards a better future

For movement towards more equitable and inclusive practice, public sector procurement authorities should demand prospective suppliers submit their policies, programs, and initiatives as part of their bid materials.

Make an appointment with our team to learn more about Sustainable Procurement by filling out the contact form below:

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