Sustainable Green Procurement

Vinay Linus, Head of Indirect Procurement, Mitre 10 (New Zealand) Limited

In the discipline of IT procurement, green sustainable procurement is becoming more and more significant. Organisations are searching for methods to make their IT procurement processes more sustainable due to the rising concern about the environmental effect of technology as well as the need to cut down on waste and energy use.

A company's procurement policy has a significant impact on how green, sustainable procurement is carried out. In addition to ensuring that the organisation can get the most value for its procurement expenditure, a well-designed procurement policy may help to guarantee that procurement operations are carried out in a consistent, transparent, and ethical manner.

What can organisations do?

1. Conduct a Sustainability Appraisal: Conducting a sustainability assessment is the first stage in putting together a green sustainable buying plan. Setting goals to lessen the effect of the organisation's present IT procurement procedures include determining the environmental impact of such operations. Technology product energy consumption, the use of hazardous chemicals in manufacturing, and product lifecycles should all be considered throughout the assessment.

2. Select Energy-Efficient Devices: When purchasing IT products, businesses should give priority to those that are power-efficient and consume less energy. By choosing goods that are ENERGY STAR certified or satisfy other energy-efficiency criteria, this can be accomplished. Businesses can also select goods that rely on sustainable energy sources to run their business, like solar or wind turbines.

3. Promote Recycling and Reuse: To decrease waste and the environmental effect of their procurement processes, organisations should promote recycling and reuse of IT goods. A complete e-waste management programme that handles the collecting, sorting, and disposal of electronic trash may be put in place to accomplish this. Businesses can also promote the reuse of IT devices by providing staff with reconditioned equipment or trade-in programmes.

4. Collaborate with Socially Responsible Companies: Companies should collaborate with sustainable suppliers who actively promote environmental protection throughout their business activities. This might include vendors who employ eco-friendly manufacturing practises, renewable energy sources, or robust recycling programmes. Companies may also think about working with suppliers that have received sustainability-related certifications, including ISO 14001.

5. Develop Procurement Rules: To guarantee that all procurement operations are carried out in a sustainable way, organisations should implement green procurement guidelines. These rules should provide criteria for assessing items' effects on the environment, recommendations for selecting energy-efficient products, and specifications for sustainable packaging. Additionally, training programmes for procurement team should be included in the guidelines to assist them comprehend the value of green procurement and to support them in making wise selections when acquiring IT goods and services.

6. Monitor & and Reflect: To make sure they are reaching their sustainability goals; ;, organisations should constantly review and analyse their green buying strategies. This may be done by monitoring important indicators such the energy usage of IT equipment, the amount of trash produced by procurement processes, and the proportion of sustainable items purchased. In order to get input from stakeholders and workers on their green procurement procedures and to pinpoint areas for development, organisations can also conduct surveys or focus groups.

“A culture is defined by worst behaviour tolerated” hence itsit’s essential to drive the policy to educate and define procurement strategy.

In conclusion, sustainable green procurement is a growingly significant component of IT procurement. Organisations can reduce their environmental impact and improve the sustainability of their IT procurement practises by putting into practise practical implementation techniques like conducting a sustainability assessment, selecting energy-efficient products, encouraging recycling and reuse, working with sustainable suppliers, implementing green procurement guidelines, and tracking and evaluating progress. These actions enable firms to improve their reputation, foster stakeholder confidence, and provide better outcomes for their stakeholders in addition to reducing their environmental impact.