PROCUREMENT
ASING
a number of dedicated tools to assess products or suppliers on environmental criteria, leading to the identification of measurable ecological benefits that will help in decision making. It can include elements ranging from the very basics of compliance with environmental regulations to measuring a product’s environmental footprint.
The first of these general approaches
is based on risk management. This method involves evaluating the management practices and legal conformance of suppliers to see whether the organisation is at risk (the risk could be to their brand or environmental claims/credentials). The organisation may wish to know that a supplier has the correct procedures or polices in place to perform to that organisation’s standard or to an internal / international standard. This method is useful when exploring large numbers in complex supply chains, since the tools usually are not designed to examine a particular product or material but rather a supply base. This approach can include assessment of a supplier’s commitment to an Environmental Management System (EMS), policies, and/or reduction plans for different environmental impacts. This approach is useful for driving improvements down the supply chain. The second method often used is one that is designed to add value to a particular product or product range and is becoming more common in eco-aware brands. It relies on a more product- based approach where an organisation concentrates on one or more of its products or services and assesses the environmental credentials of that product from an environmental and economic perspective. This approach is used when the goal is to better understand a specific product or product range for a marketing or improvement campaign/strategy. It can also help more thoroughly evaluate a particular supplier’s processes. This approach could include a customised eco-calculator tool based on Life Cycle Assessments and concentrates on assessing the supply base from the bottom up.
Similar terms that organisations use when developing comparable strategies include “sustainable procurement” and “sustainable purchasing”. The main difference is that these approaches
include social and economic criteria as well as environmental in any assessment of the supply and procurement chain. Guidance on setting up systems for this can be found, for example, in the British Standard on sustainable procurement “BS 8903:2010 Principles and Framework for Procuring Sustainably”. This provides guidance to any size and type of organisation on adopting and embedding sustainable procurement principles and practices.
Green purchasing can be a very useful
tool to organisations looking to protect their brand, enhance environmental protection and ensure product quality and value. However, each individual organisation needs to assess its values and goals before deciding on a green purchasing strategy. Once this has been decided, objective support from an external expert ensures organisations achieve their goals.
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CAPITA’S CONSULTING BUSINESS SECURES PLACE ON CONSULTANCYONE
FRAMEWORK Capita’s consulting business has secured a place on the Government Procurement Service’s ConsultancyONE framework, which has been introduced to streamline procurement practices and promote value for money across the public sector.
T
he framework provides UK public sector bodies with access to approved suppliers of business and management consultancy services, for contract values ranging between £100,000 and £2million. It has replaced the Management Consultancy and Accounting Services, Multi-Disciplinary Consultancy, and Cipher frameworks. Capita’s consulting business has qualified for eight lots of the ConsultancyONE framework, and has been approved to provide consultancy relating to: • multi-specialism programme delivery
• policy development and advice • organisational strategy • change management • procurement • information and communications technology
• finance operations support • internal audit and advice
Mark Wyllie, executive director,
Capita’s consulting business said: “As suppliers have already been tendered and approved, this will reduce costs, speed up the process of engaging with suppliers and will save money, which can be re-deployed into projects to improve frontline services.” Capita plc is the UK’s leading provider of business process management and integrated professional support solutions. With 52,500 people at more than 350 sites, including 70 business centres across the UK, Europe, India and South Africa, the Group uses its expertise, infrastructure and scale benefits to transform its clients’ services, driving down costs and adding value. Capita is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CPI.L), and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 with 2012 revenue of £3.3 billion and profit before tax of £426 million. Further information on Capita plc can be found at:
www.capita.co.uk
PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 5 35
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