Conservation is finally starting to become a mainstream topic. This isn’t just in business and organization, but in all aspects of society, the health of the environment is becoming more of a focal point. As such, the discussion of green practices in all aspects of business is also becoming more of an emphasis. This includes the field of green procurement.
Green procurement isn’t so much a field as it is an approach to procurement. Green procurement refers to a unique way that organizations can use procurement to be more environmentally conscious. This also helps organizations become more aligned in their conservation efforts throughout the entirety of the organization.
While there are more green procurement tactics and strategies popping up on almost a weekly basis, there are a few core practices that your procurement team should really aim at developing first.
There is a wide range of benefits that organizations see from becoming greener or more environmentally sustainable. That’s because, with the power of technology and innovation, these companies are often switching to more cost-effective reusable sources of energy. Plus, where we are in society today, the advances in renewable energy technology are quite mind-blowing.
Therefore, it’s becoming quite economic and ecological to begin investing in alternative energy sources and green practices in every space possible.
Sourcing Energy Efficient Goods and Services
The first green procurement practice to cover is really simple. This is the act of sourcing goods and services that have higher rates of energy efficiency. While these goods and services may come with a slightly higher cost upfront, they have much higher long-term value. In the same way, companies can justify the cost of integral machinery to their production processes with tax-depreciation, goods and services that have higher rates of energy efficiency will last longer and have a higher lifetime value and a lower lifetime cost. These are the considerations of purchasing and supply chain management in 2020.
Increasing Recycling Practices
This one should really be a no-brainer, but even in procurement, there is a place for advanced recycling practices. Improving and optimizing the internal recycling practices or your organization will help mitigate how much trash your team is outputting and the overall carbon footprint of the business. Therefore, sourcing goods and services that are specifically recyclable or reusable is quite a simple, but effective way of creating a more green procurement team in your organization.
Minimal Packaging
Finally, another straightforward way to build green procurement practices into your procurement team is by targeting goods and services that have minimal packaging. Not only this, but your organization should work to minimize the packaging of their own products as well.
However, understanding that packaging really should only contain the necessary amount of materials can save pounds and pounds of packaging material. Going even further, your team could target products that specifically only use packaging material that’s been composed of recycled materials. This would double-down on your commitment and help elevate your green procurement practices.
Final Thoughts on Green Procurement
There are a ton of ways to integrate green procurement practices into your organization, and a wide range of green procurement practices to choose from as well. To get started, your organization can begin implementing these easy green procurement tactics that have been covered in this article.
From targeting products that have higher rates of efficiency, to products that use minimal packaging or recycled packaging, there are plenty of simple steps to take to start contributing toward global conservation efforts. To help with this, invest in strong procurement software.
For more information on the importance of green procurement and the fight to conserve the environment, visit ProcurePort today. ProcurePort is the internet’s premier source for everything procurement, from information and knowledge, to software, technology, and everything in between.