"It is our aspiration that all people of Amsterdam with disabilities have an opportunity to become participants in our city"
Buy WISEly
European collaboration for social buying
Buy WISEly is a European project that brings together social enterprises (WISEs – Work Integration Social Enterprises) and mainstream companies (MBs – Mainstream Businesses) to promote sustainable B2B partnerships. Through collaboration between countries such as the Netherlands, Austria, France and Spain, Buy WISEly strives for an inclusive B2B market in which social purchasing is central.
The project has collected a set of good practices from seven countries, detailing 19 successful partnerships. These examples illustrate how WISEs contribute to social goals, such as work integration and sustainability, while regular companies can fulfill their social responsibility and comply with the Corporate Sustainable Responsibility Directive (CSRD).
Elements for successful collaboration
Important elements for successful collaboration are regular and honest communication, personal contact, shared objectives and flexibility. WISEs and MBs are encouraged to enter into formal or informal agreements, depending on the culture and specific context of the country and sector. It is also essential that both parties are open to feedback and joint development.
Buy WISEly helps dispel prejudices about social enterprises and makes clear how valuable they can be for mainstream companies, both in terms of social impact and through the delivery of products and services. These collaborations contribute to a more sustainable business model and support the growth of an inclusive labor market.
Sociale zaken
As part of the Buy WISEly project, socialezaken.info has been revamped. This initiative by De Omslag has served as Amsterdam’s main platform for social procurement for 10 years. The updated website aims to make social procurement accessible to a broader audience.
With this renewal, socialezaken.info encourages active involvement from both companies and government bodies in social procurement. Visitors can easily connect with social enterprises and strengthen relationships. Additionally, everyone is invited to sign a pledge to support these partnerships. To highlight these updates, a social media campaign will be launched to showcase the new features and social enterprises on the website.
