Sustainable procurement means choosing products and services that are good for people and the planet. Sounds simple, right? But, like many sustainability challenges, it’s much harder in practice.
To help navigate some of the common problems and identify solutions we brought together sustainability and procurement experts from across the country. They are the ones leading change in their organisations. Based on their experience, here are the key insights from the workshop.
How to succeed
Success starts with clear sustainable procurement priorities and dedicated staff time. Everyone involved in purchasing needs to understand the sustainability requirements. So do new and existing suppliers. Good data helps monitor supplier performance and changes in supply chain impacts.
Sustainable procurement is a team effort. Education and strong relationships between sustainability teams, procurement staff, and suppliers are essential.
Challenges
Procurers can find it difficult to build internal processes and get staff buy-in for sustainable procurement. Working in silos can make this harder. So can a lack of common standards or solutions.
For suppliers, especially small businesses, understanding sustainability requirements can be tough. Finding the time to respond to detailed questions, or learn to use new reporting tools, is a burden. When different customers all have different approaches and requirements, this burden multiplies.
Opportunities
Working together can help overcome the challenges procurers face. Procurement and sustainability teams can benefit from learning together and strengthening commitments. Businesses can also help suppliers by setting shared expectations.
Aligning procurement approaches and using common standards reduces supplier workload. With fewer competing demands, suppliers can focus on improving their sustainability practices. That’s a win for everyone.
Hot topics
Climate change, and how to measure and reduce emissions occurring in the supply chain, is a major focus for many businesses. So is modern slavery and the need to prevent human rights abuses.
Supplier diversity is a priority for many procurers. It creates opportunities for businesses owned by underrepresented groups and for smaller, local companies.
Use of natural resources, and the way businesses both depend upon and have impact on nature, is a growing focus.
How SBN can help
It’s never been more important to accelerate sustainability through procurement.
We’re about to launch a collaborative programme to help businesses build more sustainable supply chains. It will tackle common challenges and shape the future of sustainable procurement in Aotearoa New Zealand. To learn more, contact [email protected].
We’re also preparing a submission on the government’s proposed new procurement rules advocating for the continued inclusion of sustainability considerations.