Sustainable Procurement Policy

Sustainable Procurement Objective

Our sustainability objective is to ensure a continuous improvement in procurement decisions measured against delivering sustainable and ethical trading. More specifically, we seek to avoid adverse social and environmental impact in the supply-chain, the reduction of environmental impact from service operations and the purchase of products that meet recognised environmental standards.

Sustainable Procurement Standard

Working in partnership

  • We will seek out organisations that share our commitment to sound environmental performance and improvement. Where applicable, we will offer assistance to our suppliers in raising their environmental awareness. We will develop partnerships with our suppliers and contractors and work together to minimise the environmental and social impacts of our supply chain.
  • Sustainability requirements will be considered and where appropriate will be specified in initial tender documentation for both suppliers and contractors, to ensure suppliers and contractors are aware of our environmental and social criteria at an early stage in the tender process.
  • Small firms, voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises and ethnic minority businesses are considered members of our supply chain as they play an important role in the local economy and contribute to social cohesion.
  • We will endeavour to procure goods which are fairly traded wherever this is possible.

Environmental impact

  • Where practicable, we will purchase goods that have a minimal impact upon the environment, both local and global. Factors taken into consideration will include sustainability of resource production, transportation, full life energy/raw material consumption and waste production and percentage recycled content.
  • Wherever possible we will consume and purchase less by identifying and eradicating, wasteful practices within our own operation and those operations where we have influence.
  • We will re-cycle goods at the end of their life, where this is possible and where it is not possible ensure disposal in the most environmentally sound manner.
  • We will purchase products and services that meet minimum environmental standards.
  • To promote and embed the adoption of sustainable services, we will develop and support through appropriate awareness programmes, new methodologies for identifying needs; appraising options; agreeing design and specification; supplier selection; tender evaluation; contract management and supplier development.

Procurement process

  • We will use their purchasing power, where practicable, to influence and encourage suppliers in order to create a more reliable market for environmentally and ethically produced products and services.
  • Environmental and social factors shall be considered in the purchasing process. Specifically, this includes considering what the product is made from, the product durability, where it is made and by whom, the efficiency of the product during use and the processes involved in its production and distribution, what the disposal requirements are and if it can be reused or recycled.
  • We will add sustainability into the procurement cycle: identifying needs; appraising options; design and specification; supplier selection; tender evaluation; contract management and supplier development.
  • Sustainable development concepts will be embedded into purchasing functions through training programmes.

Monitoring and measuring

  • We will seek to establish key performance indicators for sustainable procurement where appropriate and monitor and measure the performance of our supply chain against them.
  • Where applicable, environmental law is given effect through procurement decisions including international obligations on climate change and sustainable development. We will support national policy and legislation to reduce CO2 emissions, ban ozone-depleting substances and protect biodiversity.

Dated: February 2020

Richard Proctor

Managing Director