GROW Gippsland

GROW Gippsland (Growing Regional Opportunities for Work) is a collaborative program that seeks to strengthen social and economic outcomes and increase job opportunities through maximising local spend in the region.

There are currently 121 local businesses participating in GROW Gippsland. The program encourages businesses to be part of a values driven network that thinks and acts locally and socially.

The program focusses on generating job opportunities for key target groups – including young people, transitioning workers, Aboriginal people and the long-term unemployed.  It works by connecting buyers and local suppliers with the large infrastructure projects in the region as well as all forms of procurement.

By securing local participation wherever possible, our businesses and our community can contribute to and benefit from the local economy.

What commitment does the program require?

Businesses involved in GROW sign a Compact agreement through which they commit to assess of their suppliers, procurement and employment practices in an effort to shift their procurement processes and spending in favour of local. They set a plan based on what they want to achieve.

Members monitor their own progress by updating a dashboard that shows how they are tracking on maximising local and social procurement and their plan.

What are the benefits?

GROW runs procurement, employment and employer working groups to develop the capability and skills of the staff working in the Compact Network businesses.

Compact members catch up regularly to share best practice and learn of new opportunities in the region.  Membership is drawn from every size of business as the procurement decisions of all businesses can make a difference locally and socially.

The GROW program builds on and links work already underway in this area, including with our Industry Capability Network representative, Vendor Panel Regional Procurement Platform and Gippsland Business Connect.

Visit the GROW Gippsland website here.