Why Certification Matters in Social Procurement
Certification provides confidence where social claims alone are not enough
As social procurement becomes more widely adopted, organisations are increasingly expected to demonstrate that their purchasing decisions deliver genuine, verifiable social impact.
This expectation creates a practical challenge for procurement teams:
How do we confidently assess which social suppliers are legitimate - without introducing unnecessary risk or complexity?
Certification exists to address this challenge.
It provides a structured, independent way to verify that a social enterprise operates with a defined social purpose, reinvests profits accordingly, and can substantiate its impact.
The problem certification was designed to solve
The term “social enterprise” is used broadly.
Many organisations describe themselves as:
- purpose-led
- values-driven
- socially conscious
While these descriptors may be genuine, they are not always verified. For procurement teams operating within formal governance frameworks, unverified claims present several risks:
- reputational risk if claims cannot be substantiated
- compliance risk during audits or reviews
- inconsistency across supplier assessments
- difficulty reporting outcomes confidently
Certification was created to introduce clarity and consistency into this landscape.
Certification as a procurement tool, not a label
From a procurement perspective, certification should be understood as a functional tool, not a marketing badge.
It helps procurement teams by:
- reducing the need for individual supplier investigations
- providing a common reference point for due diligence
- supporting internal approvals and documentation
- enabling repeatable, scalable decision-making
Rather than assessing social claims on a case-by-case basis, certification allows procurement teams to rely on an independent verification framework.
Why independent verification matters
One of the most important aspects of certification is independence.
Independent verification:
- reduces bias
- increases credibility
- strengthens defensibility
- supports transparency
For organisations reporting on ESG outcomes or supplier diversity, this independence is critical. It ensures that social impact claims are not self-assessed or selectively presented.
Certification and risk management
A common misconception is that social procurement increases risk.
In reality, certification often reduces risk by:
- filtering out suppliers with unclear or incidental impact
- establishing minimum governance and impact standards
- supporting consistency across procurement decisions
This is particularly valuable in environments where procurement decisions are subject to:
- internal review
- public accountability
- external audit
- regulatory oversight
Certification provides procurement teams with a defensible basis for supplier selection.
Supporting consistency across organisations
In larger organisations, procurement decisions are rarely made by a single individual.
Certification supports consistency by:
- providing a shared definition of “social enterprise”
- reducing reliance on subjective interpretation
- enabling alignment across procurement, ESG, finance and legal teams
This shared understanding makes social procurement easier to embed into existing systems, rather than treating it as an exception.
Certification and ESG credibility
As ESG reporting expectations continue to evolve, organisations are under increasing pressure to ensure that social claims are accurate and supportable.
Certification contributes to ESG credibility by:
- strengthening the evidence base for social outcomes
- reducing the risk of overstated claims
- supporting year-on-year consistency
For organisations seeking to demonstrate alignment between procurement activity and ESG commitments, certification provides a clear link between spend and impact.
When certification matters most
While certification is valuable in many contexts, it is particularly important when:
- procurement decisions require formal approval
- social outcomes are being reported externally
- supplier diversity targets are in place
- reputational risk is high
In these scenarios, certification helps organisations move beyond intent and demonstrate measurable, verified action.
Certification is not about exclusion
It is important to note that certification is not designed to exclude non-certified organisations automatically.
Rather, it provides:
- a baseline standard
- a reference point
- a way to prioritise verification where it matters most
In some cases, organisations may still engage with non-certified suppliers - but certification helps clarify where additional due diligence may be required.
Why certification strengthens social procurement outcomes
Social procurement is most effective when it is:
- intentional
- repeatable
- transparent
Certification supports all three.
By providing a clear framework for verification, certification helps ensure that social procurement delivers real outcomes, not just well-intentioned claims.
Bringing it back to certified social enterprises
Understanding why certification matters is a critical step in understanding what a certified social enterprise is.
Certification is the mechanism that turns social purpose into something that can be:
- trusted
- reported
- scaled
For procurement teams, this distinction matters.
Related topics
- What Is a Certified Social Enterprise?
- Certified vs Non-Certified Social Enterprises: What’s the Difference?
- How Certification Reduces Risk for Procurement Teams
Written by Viki Govic, Founder – Better Merch
Last updated: Jan, 2026