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.
"Health systems are uniquely positioned to have positive impact as leading employers and economic engines in their communities," David Zuckerman, executive director of Healthcare Anchor Network, said in the news release.
"In addition to providing quality healthcare, they can leverage institutional resources, including almost $500 billion in annual spending, to help address the economic, racial, and environmental resource disparities that impact community health outcomes," he said.
Below are the 12 health systems involved:
- Advocate Aurora Health (Downers Grove, Ill., and Milwaukee)
- Baystate Health (Springfield, Mass.)
- Bon Secours Mercy Health (Cincinnati)
- Cleveland Clinic
- CommonSpirit Health (Chicago)
- Henry Ford Health System (Detroit)
- Intermountain Healthcare (Salt Lake City)
- Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.)
- Providence (Renton, Wash.)
- Rush University Medical Center (Chicago)
- Spectrum Health (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
- UMass Memorial Health (Worcester, Mass.)
All the health systems are part of the Healthcare Anchor Network.
Read more about the pledge here.