Alstom, Social Traders, Kinaway and V/Line join forces to deliver new Supply Chain Connect Program

Social Traders and Kinaway Chamber of Commerce Victoria are proud to announce a new partnership with Alstom and V/Line to deliver the Supply Chain Connect program. This structured, 12-month program is designed to connect Victorian social benefit suppliers with commercial suppliers supporting the maintenance of Victoria’s regional train fleet. 

Alstom, a global leader in rail transport, is currently delivering the Regional Rolling Stock Maintenance Contract (RRSMC) for customer V/Line – to maintaining and keeping Victoria’s VLocity regional train fleet moving. This work is delivered from key sites in West Melbourne, South Dynon and Ballarat East. This long-term contract creates a meaningful opportunity to generate social value and the Supply Chain Connect program is designed to make the most of it.

The program couldn’t come at a better time. Latest report from Social Traders shows momentum in social procurement is accelerating with more than $1.4 billion being directed to certified social enterprises by member organisations over the last eight years. The social value created includes 13,383 jobs for marginalised communities, 1 million training hours for people facing barriers to employment and 68,050 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill.

Supply Chain Connect is a structured supplier development program led by Social Traders, with delivery support from Kinaway Chamber of Commerce Victoria and delivered through the Alstom’s Mobility Supply Chain Centre of Excellence (MSCCE). The program brings together two groups: a cohort of four Victorian social benefit suppliers – certified social enterprises and Aboriginal businesses – and eight commercial suppliers from within Alstom’s RRSMC supply chain.

Over 12 months, the program will: 

1. Build the commercial readiness of social benefit suppliers to meet procurement requirements within rolling stock maintenance;
2. uplift the social procurement knowledge of Victorian suppliers; and 
3. actively facilitate connections and relationships to generate long-term, values-aligned business partnerships.

The program takes social benefit suppliers through a structured four-phase journey – from an initial Expression of Interest and capability diagnostic, through tailored advisory sessions and cultural awareness training for commercial suppliers, to paired networking and direct pitching opportunities. Outcomes are measured against each participant's baseline and captured in a final impact report.

“This partnership is exactly the kind of systems change we exist to create. When a company with the scale of Alstom commits to opening its supply chain to social enterprises and Aboriginal businesses – not as a gesture, but through a structured, supported program with real accountability – it shifts what’s possible. 

Supply Chain Connect is a model that shows how major infrastructure projects can become engines of social value, and we’re proud to be delivering it alongside Kinaway and Alstom.” – Tara Anderson, CEO, Social Traders

The program aims to generate lasting partnerships, embed sustainable social procurement practices across Alstom's supply chain.

“Alstom in partnership with our customers and our suppliers, is committed to maintaining V/Line’s VLocity regional train fleet while creating genuine value for the communities we serve. The Supply Chain Connect Program reflects this, driving strong local partnerships that go beyond rail and creating lasting opportunities for social enterprises and Aboriginal businesses, while building a more inclusive supply chain that Victoria can be proud of.” – Jonathan Mendes, Project Director RRSMC, Alstom

The Expression of Interest process is now open, and we invite Social Traders certified or Kinaway certified social enterprises to apply. 

For more information, view the Expression of Interest form.

Social Traders is Australia’s leading industry body for social enterprise and social performance, founded in 2008 with a mission to create a fairer and more equitable Australia. Social Traders has worked with 300+ businesses and government to direct more than $1.4 billion spent with certified social enterprises since 2018. There are now close to 800 certified social enterprises nationally.

Kinaway Chamber of Commerce Victoria is Victoria’s leading authority on Aboriginal business engagement, dedicated to growing the Victorian Indigenous business economy and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enterprises to thrive.

Alstom is a global leader in rail transport, delivering the Regional Rolling Stock Maintenance Contract (RRSMC) for V/Line, a decade-long commitment to maintaining and sustaining Victoria’s regional train fleet.

V/Line is Victoria’s regional public transport operator, connecting communities across the state through passenger rail and coach services. It operates as an extensive network that supports regional mobility and economic growth, linking regional centres with metropolitan Melbourne.