The Matcha Initiative

Set up a Sustainable Procurement Policy - BASIC

Cost

EFFORT

IMPACT

‍Preliminary Note:‍

Many sustainable products could be still more expensive than the non-sustainable ones. This “extra cost” will be offset on the long run by better procurement practices as described below, will raise awareness and improve your reputation towards your employees and your final customers.

You need to take into account the whole life cycle of your supplies, from manufacturing to end of product life.

Steps to take:

1- Analyse your current comsumption and existing practices

Identify your most purchased products and unused references (20/80 rule)
Ask your suppliers what are the carbon footprints for your 20% most purchased products.

2- Define Targets and KPI evolution, such as

Office supplies annual costs
% of sustainable or eco-certified office products purchases (to be done per category: paper, inks cartridges…)
Carbon footprint evolution for main office products purchased. Eliminate higher footprints products and replace them with lesser carbon footprint products.

3- Prefer

recyclable materials
biodegradable materials
refillable materialise
certified products (always ask for proof of certification). See Green Label Singapore. To find all other eco labels in Singapore, browse ecolabel website.

4- Make it simpler

Limit your annual number of orders to decrease logistics/transportation cost by aggregating orders among services/departments & defining a minimum amount per order. It will help you decrease your costs.
Reduce your suppliers list: limit order volumes and aggregate volumes on 1 or 2 suppliers to optimize cost.
Limit the number of supplies references, eliminate unused references and define a green list, to negotiate better prices on less references with higher volumes.

5- Packaging: Discuss with your supplier to limit packagings, e.g. all pens in 1 carton box.

6- Involve all stakeholders in the sustainable purchasing policy and train them

Employees : present the green product lines to them (especially people in charge of office supplies) in order to get their support.
Suppliers : involve them in the green purchasing policy, share objectives and let them find better sustainable options for you.

‍

Refer to the global sustainable procurement policy in Resources section for more details.

58%

of businesses better mitigate risk with sustainable procurement, 30% achieve cost reduction.
(Ecovadis Barometer - 2019)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Browse categories of the Green Label Singapore Directory from Singapore Environment Council to find labelled products or ecolabel website to find all eco labels in Singapore.