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Building Your Business Case for Sustainable Purchasing
Building Your Business Case for Sustainable Purchasing
Published 03-14-07
Submitted by Fraser Basin Council
A new guide from the BC-based Sustainability Purchasing Network "“ available at www.buysmartbc.com "“ shows organizations why it makes sense to consider the impact of their purchasing decisions all the way down the line. A sound supply chain, from social, environmental and ethical perspectives, makes for a better world. It also links nicely to the financial bottom line.
VANCOUVER, B.C. "“ March 13, 2007 - The Sustainability Purchasing Network (the "Network") has released their "Guide to the Business Case and Benefits of Sustainability Purchasing," a one-stop resource that helps business, non-profit, and government organizations improve environmental and social conditions through purchasing, develop better relationships with suppliers, reduce costs, and ultimately build a more sustainable economy.
According to Coro Strandberg, one of the study's authors and a co-founder of the Network, there is no other source of information publicly available that covers both social purchasing and ethical and environmental sourcing in one place. "We took our lead in developing this guide by our own experience researching the subject," she says. "We found different pieces in different places, but nowhere did we find a comprehensive discussion that spoke to why organizations should move toward sustainability purchasing, as opposed to how to do it."
Sustainability purchasing is a management process used to give preference to suppliers of goods and services that demonstrate positive social and environmental impacts. It entails looking at what products are made of, where they have come from, who has made them, and how they will be disposed of at the end of their life-even considering whether the purchase needs to be made at all.
This resource tool is intended for use as a guidance document for organizations that are thinking about, or are in the process of, developing an internal business case for sustainability purchasing. It contains 80-plus examples and case studies to help them tailor their sustainability purchasing programs to their unique circumstances and priorities, and illustrates how to manage and leverage the costs.
"It is clear that the organizations featured in the business case guide have influenced others-and been influenced by-their commitment to sustainability purchasing," says Strandberg. "By increasing the number of participants throughout the supply chain that are utilizing sustainability purchasing programs, we’ll create a more sustainable economy overall."
About the Sustainability Purchasing Network
Established in 2005, the Sustainability Purchasing Network supports business, not-for-profit, academic, labour, and government organizations to develop and improve their sustainable purchasing practices, as well as influence positive environmental, social, ethical, and economic impacts for BC and beyond.
Through its website, the Sustainability Purchasing Network provides access to information and resources on sustainable purchasing, including a business case tool to educate senior executives and purchasing managers as to the financial, social, and environmental benefits of sustainable purchasing. The Network offers workshops and learning circles on different aspects of sustainable purchasing. See www.buysmartbc.com for details.
