Using public procurement to promote equality in employment: assessment of the evidence from Australia, South Africa and the UK
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Embargoed until: 2025-03-11
Embargoed until: 2025-03-11
ISBN-13
9781800886599
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800886605
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There has been increasing interest from policy-makers in a variety of countries in using public sector procurement- government spending power- to achieve social objectives. Yet the academic evidence on the effectiveness of this practice is limited. This chapter examines the legal frameworks introduced by three countries- Australia, South Africa and the UK- that link public procurement practices to achieving social objectives relating to equality, in particular to advance gender, race and socio-economic equality. These countries have adopted different legal approaches to using public procurement for social ends, including placing requirements on public authorities to consider changes to their procurement practice and demanding equality information from companies seeking government contracts. The chapter also assesses the available evidence on how effective such interventions have been in advancing employment equality and highlights some key elements necessary for success.