Twelve health systems signed a joint $1 billion commitment to boost spending collectively on local, minority, women-owned and other small businesses and enterprises, most of which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a June 9 news release.
The organizations signed the “Impact Purchasing Commitment,” designed by the Healthcare Anchor Network, in partnership with Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth.
As part of the commitment, the health systems agreed to increase spending with minority and women-owned business enterprises as well as local and employee-owned, cooperatively owned and/or nonprofit-owned enterprises, by at least $1 billion over five years, the commitment designers said. They also agreed to work with vendors to create hiring pipelines in disinvested communities, as well as adopt sustainable procurement goals.
