Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 61.45
Liaison Austin Sutherland
Submission Date May 1, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

University of Pennsylvania
OP-T2-25: Local Businesses

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.25 / 0.25
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution give preference to local products and businesses in its purchasing decisions? Local food purchases, which are covered in OP Credit 6: Food Purchasing, are not included in this credit.:
Yes

A brief description of the program:

Engaging Locally! is one of the main components of the Penn Compact 2020, President Amy Gutmann's vision for Penn. As the largest private employer in the City of Philadelphia and the second largest private employer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Penn is using its considerable purchasing and construction capacity, as well as its academic expertise, to encourage local business growth, empower diversity and women business owners, provide women and minorities with greater access to the skilled and higher-paying trades, and create jobs.

Purchasing Services supports Penn's commitment to economic inclusion by engaging diversity-owned and local community-based suppliers in the procurement process at Penn. With support from senior management, community and political leaders, Purchasing Services has leveraged the University's buying power, its knowledge assets, resources, and commitment to socially responsible purchasing to provide business opportunities for local community based suppliers and job growth among neighborhood residents. Purchasing Services has succeeded in promoting economic inclusion while meeting its mission to provide best-in-class buying methods and best price supplier business relationships.

Launched in 1986, Penn's Local Community Business Program pursues opportunities for local community businesses, on a direct supplier basis or in strategic partnerships with major regional and national firms, including participation in the Penn Marketplace, Penn's private online supplier exchange. Last fiscal year alone (FY12), Penn purchased more than $85.7 million in products and services from local community businesses, with $69.9 million from diversity owned suppliers. That's 12% of total Penn's purchasing dollars directed to local community businesses and 10% to diversity-owned suppliers. And by helping its diversity business partners acquire eBusiness capability, Purchasing Services is empowering them to compete more effectively in the Penn Marketplace, Penn's private supplier exchange. Approximately 20% of the Penn Marketplace participating suppliers are diversity-owned.


The website URL where information about the program, policy, or practice is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.