Beyond the ‘friendzone’: Calls for diversity procurement laws

The Sydney Morning Herald covers details of a new EY report which calls on federal and state governments to introduce mandatory procurement requirements to ensure women-led businesses are included in the supply chains of governments and big businesses, as a means to provide greater economic stability to female entrepreneurs.

The report, commissioned by Global Forwarding Director Enrica Centorame, has found that women-owned businesses would in particular benefit from a hard law on organisations cultivating a more diverse roster of suppliers.

The report found a requirement for large Australian businesses to ensure that at least 3 per cent of their supply chain is sourced from women-owned businesses would have a material impact on female entrepreneurs and create more viable small and medium businesses.