We are pleased to announce that our sister company, AXIOM Sustainability Software, will be presenting at Everybody’s Problem – Challenges in Supply Chain Sustainability taking place in Leeds on October 6th from 5:15pm – 7:00pm.
Created in collaboration with Eagle Labs Leeds, this free, two-hour event will be held at Avenue HQ in Leeds and is dedicated to exploring the challenges in supply chain sustainability.
Featuring a variety of short talks and presentations on the innovation and digital technology that is helping drive sustainable change – this event will examine the initiatives, platforms and software successful businesses are using to implement sustainable supply chains, deliver on environmental goals and achieve Net Zero.
To register for free, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/everybodys-problem-challenges-in-supply-chain-sustainability-tickets-403398344307
The event brings together business leaders and sustainability experts from across the UK and offers an excellent opportunity for organisations in the region and beyond to develop their knowledge about the latest best practices when it comes to sustainable change in global supply chains.
Presentations will cover a range of topics about the current initiatives, platforms and digital strategies that forward-thinking businesses can use to transform their supply chains, accurately measure key emissions, reduce their carbon footprint and achieve Net Zero.
The event will be live-streamed for those who cannot attend in person.
The free event will include a series of talks, with short Q&A sessions after each presentation.
Speakers include:
Luke Christoforidis – EnergyTech Industry Lead, Barclays Eagle Labs
Eagle Labs EnergyTech are Innovating the harvesting, management and use of energy for the future.
Luke has Over a decade of experience in strategic transformation at Barclays, having worked on Barclays Mobile Banking, culture, strategy and now building start up communities with Barclays Eagle Labs.
Daniel Usifoh, Co-founder, AXIOM Sustainability Software
Daniel is an experienced, senior level sustainable procurement professional with a passion for helping organisations in the Humber region and across the UK to achieve their sustainability objectives.
He’s the Co-Founder of Axiom Sustainability Software – an innovative cloud based platform that helps businesses to monitor, analyse and improve sustainability performance in their organisations and throughout the supply chain.
Lenna Lou – Strategy Director at Westminster Council & founder of the L Factor Ltd.
Lenna is an international, London-based Tech BDM who links the UK to Hong Kong and China.
She is connected with the UK Hong Kong Trade Development Council as well as the Attorney General of Hong Kong. Lenna will give a PRC perspective on Net Zero and the business development opportunities available to the Leeds Tech community.
David Hall – Vice President Power Systems – Schneider Electric
You will hear from David at Schneider Electric who are a Northern Powerhouse Investment Champion and employ circa 6-700 staff in the North across two main sites in Leeds and Scarborough. The Leeds site manufactures in excess of £100m worth of products annually and 40% of the products manufactured in Scarborough are exported, highlighting why they were deemed to be the most sustainable corporation on the planet.
About the Event
Everybody’s Problem – Challenges in Supply Chain Sustainability is taking place on Thursday 6th October from 5:15pm to 7pm, at Avenue HQ in Leeds.
For more information about this event or to register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/everybodys-problem-challenges-in-supply-chain-sustainability-tickets-403398344307
Helping businesses minimise their environmental impact and deliver on their sustainability goals is at the heart of what we do – but we are also passionate about developing our own growth as a green organisation.
We believe it’s important to demonstrate our commitment to improving our own sustainability – so we are delighted to announce that we are now B Corp Accredited!
Certified B Corporations – also known as B Corps – are companies that are verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. To achieve certification, a company must fulfil specific criteria which include:
The B Impact Assessment and standards are independently governed by their Standards Advisory Council and continually improved by input from the organisation’s community of users and stakeholders.
The standards are very high – and we’re thrilled that we have been officially recognised!
This accreditation further cements our commitment to advancing the sustainability credentials we already have.
It also directly ties into the services that our sister company Axiom provides – dedicated software that measures, tracks and reports on the sustainability performance of an organisation. This helps make gathering and evidencing data much easier for businesses that want to progress their own environmental commitments, and shows clearly the areas of operations that are in need of improvement. It’s also very handy for companies working towards B Corp accreditation!
To find out more about who B Corp are and what they do, please visit their website here.
Sustainable procurement is a fundamental part of a business’ transformation to becoming a greener organisation.
From implementing ISO20400 standard, achieving Net Zero and calculating your carbon footprint, through to sustainability health checks and engaging with suppliers on your behalf – we are here to help you build a sustainable and successful future.
To find out how we can help, please contact us here.
Is sustainable procurement still a priority during times of crisis?
The war in Ukraine is dominating headlines. In addition to the terrible humanitarian crisis, it’s having a real impact on the global economy, and supply chains all over the world.
In this post, we’re exploring the impact the war in Ukraine is having on supply chains and business sustainability pledges – and why sustainable procurement is still so important.
There are two main reasons the war in Ukraine has had negative impact on the supply chain. These are the sanctions on Russia, and the direct impact of the conflict inside Ukraine.
Europe is heavily dependent on Russian gas and oil for its energy – which impacts on every industry.
In terms of agriculture, Russia and Ukraine account for more than a quarter of the world’s wheat, almost two thirds of the sunflower oil and around a third of barley exports. Russia is also one of the world’s leading providers of fertilizer – which could impact on crop yields across the globe.
Russian exports also include some important metals, including platinum, palladium, titanium and nickel, as well as key forest commodities such as timber.
This article provides a deeper overview of just how important Russia and Ukraine are to global supply chains.
The troubles caused by Ukraine are being compounded by the ongoing supply chain issues. The pandemic, and the collective global response to it, has caused a worldwide shipping and logistics crisis.
From the early lockdowns and quarantine rules, through to the 2021 Suez blockage, it’s been a challenging few years! We’ve seen a lack of dock workers in the USA and labour strikes in Europe, against a backdrop of soaring demand as the world gets back to work after covid. Today, China’s zero covid policy is causing bottlenecks in Shanghai. At times, the logistics issues have also been compounded by a shortage of commercial drivers.
It isn’t just logistics that’s been affected. Raw material production has also been hamstrung, due to restrictions on movement of workers. This has had a knock on effect throughout the supply chain – increasing production lead times for a huge number of products.
Prices are rising, lead times are increasing and securing supply of key materials has become a real challenge for businesses in multiple industries.
The sad truth of the matter is that sustainability is taking a hit – as governments and organisations across the globe pivot towards the immediate challenges.
Governments are changing energy policies and softening stances on fossil fuels. Businesses are compromising on their own standards as they look to shore up supply chains and ensure their own survival.
In the oils and fats market, we’re already seeing the impact of the reduction in sunflower supply. Producers are rushing to secure limited supplies, and looking to alternatives such as rapeseed. Some are also backtracking on pledges made to stop using palm oil. The supply and demand imbalance means that many are turning a blind eye to the provenance and sustainability of commodities.
Although this is understandable given the grave situation, it’s a huge disappointment, and a bitter blow to progress on sustainability. Once implemented, it’s easy for short-term fixes and solutions to become embedded. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, any pause or backtracking on sustainability could have a serious impact – while making it less likely that we achieve our goals.
The current geopolitical landscape has underlined just how important it is for organisations to develop robust, sustainable supply chains. Having strategic dependencies on single suppliers or regions has always been risky – and the current crisis has made this extremely clear.
Although tackling the root causes of supply chain troubles can be a major undertaking – there are lessons to be learned, and steps that organisations can take now to mitigate risks and shore up supply chains.
Ensuring that the right risk management tools are in place, developing secondary supplier relationships for key commodities, updating inventory policies, setting safety stock levels, and examining contracts to factor in commodity inflation are just some of the things you can be doing now to build resilience and stabilise your supply chain for the future.
So how does sustainability fit into this process?
It’s important to look at the bigger picture, and why we’re bothering with sustainability in the first place. We’re doing it to ensure a better future for people and the planet!
Considering sustainability doesn’t have to hamper your organisations, and there are many business benefits of sustainable procurement.
Some of the biggest future risks to supply chains over the coming decades are likely to be caused by the impact of climate change. Implementing the right sustainable procurement policies now means you’re doing your part to minimise the impact of climate change, while mitigating the risks associated with it.
Looking to improve your green credentials while adding resiliency to your supply chain? Implement the right sustainable procurement programme and build a greener future with our support.
Using our specialist software, we can calculate your supply chain emissions, identify GHG hotspots – allowing your business to benefit from in-depth Scope 3 (Supply Chain) analysis on all your suppliers to gain complete visibility over your carbon footprint.
From implementing the ISO20400 standard and improving ESG credentials, through to finding a way to achieve Net Zero – we can help. Whatever industry you’re in, we will collaborate with you to identify your business’s needs and provide a bespoke procurement solution that will make you a greener, more sustainable organisation, while delivering real value.
To find out more, please get in touch today
We are thrilled to announce that our sister company, Axiom, will be joining some of the country’s leading business leaders and sustainability experts for The Technology Behind Sustainable Change.
This free, two-hour event will be held on Thursday 19th May from 11am to 1pm, and features a variety of short talks, presentations and panel discussions exploring the innovation and digital technology that is driving sustainable change in the Humber region and beyond.
The event is a celebration of Humber’s green identity and will give organisations the opportunity to discover the initiatives, platforms and software successful businesses are using to improve their ESG credentials, reduce carbon emissions, achieve Net Zero and fulfil their long-term sustainability goals.
It will be hosted at the CD4I (Centres for Digital Innovation) – a digital hub and incubator that helps tech companies grow and traditional businesses innovate. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will also be live-streamed. To register for free, head over to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-technology-behind-sustainable-change-tickets-299054137977
The Technology Behind Sustainable Change is a great opportunity for organisations and forward thinking business leaders in our region to learn about the latest best practices and elevate their commitment to a greener future. Gateway and Axiom co-founder, Daniel Usifoh, will be joining senior speakers from multinational, national and leading regional businesses including Co-op, Barclays, G.F. Smith and more. He’ll be discussing the challenges facing businesses when it comes to collecting, collating and analysing sustainability data, as well as the importance of monitoring and reporting – and how the right technology can make this much easier.
The free, two-hour event will include a series of 15-minute lightning talks with questions, a “fireside chat” with Daniel Usifoh, and a panel Q&A with the presenters.
Speakers include:
Andy Howard – CEO – CSX Carbon
Andy’s early career encompassed insurance underwriting, and then 15 years in the packaging industry, where he ultimately became the Sales Director for the main supplier of own brand tapes into the UK retail sector. Andy’s packaging industry career included responsibility for accounts such as Coca-Cola, Hovis and Nestle, and restructuring and managing the UK operations of a Dutch multi-national company.
Since 2011 he has been the co-Founder & Director of Pennine Biomass Ltd, Pennine Enterprises Ltd & Pennine Forestry Ltd. This group of companies has led the way in transforming the implementation of commercial afforestation projects in England.
The insights and lessons learnt from the Pennine businesses were the foundations that saw the launch of CSX, with the intention to develop new technologies that could be integrated and utilised to deliver integrity to the scaling of private sector investment into Nature Based Solutions.
Hals Baggaley – Head of Category and Strategic Supplier Management – Co-op
Senior procurement professional Hals has spent more than a decade working with Co-op – covering project management, strategic sourcing, category management and stakeholder management.
Today, Hals leads the Strategy, Planning and Supplier engagement team – with a wealth of real world experience covering the importance of ESG and sustainable procurement to major retailers in the UK.
Charlotte Diaz – Director of HR – G.F. Smith
HR Director and certified B-Corp leader Charlotte has a successful track record in delivering game changing strategy and board liaison campaigns for high profile businesses across the UK.
With a wealth of people management experience, she specialises in helping organisations to become great places to work, while making a positive contribution to people and the wider community.
Nigel Jones – Department for International Trade – Northern Powerhouse Investment Hub
Tech and creative sector specialist Nigel has spent more than two decades working with some of the world’ largest multinationals.
Today, he works as a consultant for the Department for International Trade, helping tech and creative companies across the North of England to maximise the opportunities available to them – attracting foreign investment from around the world.
Amy Morgan – Ecosystem Manager – Barclays Eagle Labs
Through the work of Barclays Eagle Labs Amy helps entrepreneurs and ambitious businesses to innovate and scale. Helping cultivate a community of likeminded entrepreneurs who can benefit from access to a collaborative environment.
Amy will update us on some of the latest developments across the Barclays Eagle Lab network.
Bob Barnes – Founder – Peak Earth Limited
Bob is a financial modeler for low carbon energy infrastructure and is also a domestic retrofit coordinator. He’s currently creating some AgTech to design high-yield biodiverse food forests. And he plans to start a nature-based construction business.
Bob will talk about some of the tech developments happening in the heating and construction worlds.
Daniel Usifoh – Co-founder – AXIOM Sustainability Software
Daniel is an experienced, senior level sustainable procurement professional with a passion for helping organisations in the Humber region and across the UK to achieve their sustainability objectives.
He’s the Co-Founder of Gateway Procurement and Axiom Sustainability Software – an innovative cloud-based platform that helps businesses to monitor, analyse and improve sustainability performance in their organisations and throughout the supply chain.
The Technology Behind Sustainable Change is taking place on Thursday 19th May from 11am to 1pm, at C4DI in Hull. For more information about this event, please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-technology-behind-sustainable-change-tickets-299054137977 .
Operating sustainably is now no longer optional for organisations, but an essential part of doing business. Read on to discover the consequences of maintaining unsustainable practices, and why every business can benefit from having a strong sustainable procurement policy in place.
As discussions around climate change and sustainability gain momentum, there are increased expectations for companies to prove they are making meaningful change. Consumers, investors and even governments want to know what companies are doing to minimise their carbon footprints and ensure that their operations and supply chains leave minimal trace on the environment.
A sustainable procurement policy puts sustainable, ethical business practices at the heart of the procurement process. It’s about ensuring that the goods, services and utilities your organisation procures and uses deliver benefits to society, the environment and your own organisation.
In practice, a sustainable procurement policy makes operating sustainably a prerequisite of doing business with your organisation. This ensures that the suppliers you choose meet your ESG standards and business ethics.
The benefits of a sustainable procurement policy are multi-fold.
First, your organisation will directly benefit from sustainable procurement, in terms of reducing carbon emissions, cutting waste, lowering energy consumption and driving value.
Having a sustainable procurement policy also has a knock-on effect throughout the supply chain. It uses your buying power to leverage and drive behavioural change in your suppliers, encouraging organisations who want to do business with you to adopt more sustainable practices.
In addition, having a sustainable procurement policy is the only way to be a truly sustainable business – as 80%+ of an organisation’s carbon footprint comes from the supply chain. For organisations looking to achieve true Net Zero emissions, and for those who want to make credible claims about their sustainability, sustainable procurement is an essential part of the process.
Having a robust sustainable procurement policy in place can also protect your organisation from some of the key reputational and regulatory risks associated with unsustainable business practice. It will also help to ensure your business is ahead of the curve – putting you in a good position to adapt to changing ESG legislation.
The direction of travel is clear. It seems inevitable that legally binding sustainability standards will soon be incorporated into global trade agreements, competition law, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and supply chain management.
Investing in a sustainable procurement policy now can help to ensure your business is in a strong position to react to strengthening regulations.
Unsustainable supply chains are increasingly coming under scrutiny from conscious consumers.
Having an unsustainable supply chain is clear evidence that one or more areas of a business’s operations may not be prioritising the planet. This can call into question the ethics and morals of all affiliated organisations who benefit from the partnership.
Having an unsustainable supply chain can cause substantial reputational harm on businesses who have made efforts to cultivate and portraying a sustainable image as it undermines their own efforts and dedication to a greener and sustainable future.
In addition to harming the individual businesses associated with unsustainable practices, this can also have a knock-on effect on entire industries – breeding cynicism amongst potential consumers about the sustainability of other organisations in the sector.
A sustainable procurement policy will significantly reduce the risk of this happening to your organisation.
McKinsey says that 90% of companies’ impacts on the environment come from supply chains. This highlights the essential need to look beyond your own business operations, to the supply chain, if you really want to make meaningful change.
In addition to making your business greener, a sustainable supply chain can also cut costs, whilst improving its efficiency and ESG performance.
This safeguards your businesses future and ability to develop and grow, as the pledges made by governments towards Net Zero seem increasingly likely to hamper, or even prevent the growth of unsustainable businesses. Indeed – the pressure for businesses to cut carbon emissions and operate in environmentally-aware ways will only continue to grow.
In the green future set out by governments across the globe – there is no space for organisations who are not engaged with sustainability in a meaningful way.
Looking to improve your green credentials? Implement the right sustainable procurement programme and build a greener future with our support.
Using our specialist software, we can calculate your supply chain emissions, identify GHG hotspots – allowing your business to benefit from in-depth Scope 3 (Supply Chain) analysis on all your suppliers to gain complete visibility over your carbon footprint.
From implementing the ISO20400 standard and improving ESG credentials, through to finding a way to achieve Net Zero – we can help. Whatever industry you’re in, we will collaborate with you to identify your business’s needs and provide a bespoke procurement solution that will make you a greener, more sustainable organisation, while delivering real value.
To find out more, please get in touch today
Climate change isn’t going away – could carbon insetting be part of the solution?
With a growing pressure on businesses to show how they’re engaging with discussions around it and what they’re doing to lessen their environmental impact – it’s essential that your organisation is continually looking for ways to operate more sustainably.
Carbon emissions are recognised as a key contributor towards climate change – that eventually could lead to rising sea levels, destruction of animals’ natural habitats, extreme weather and more.
Over the years there has been worldwide efforts to address these complex challenges, recognised through the likes of COP26 and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, both of which have outlined targets and steps to achieving a greener future.
Whilst individuals have been encouraged to make more environmentally-friendly choices to help their carbon footprint, achieving a sustainable future is mostly dependent on businesses. Businesses big and small are responsible for emitting large amounts of carbon and other greenhouse gases.
Carbon offsetting is one established way for businesses to reduce their carbon impact. This is where organisations actively look to offset their own carbon footprint by actively removing emissions of carbon and other greenhouses gases in other ways.
Typical examples of this include establishing relationships with reforestation schemes and by planting trees, as they are excellent natural resources that effectively absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Carbon credits are also another way to offset emissions and consist of a purchasable and tradable certificate or permit that provides the holder a right to emit a specified amount of carbon or other greenhouses gases.
Carbon insetting is something quite different. It’s a method for reducing Scope 3 (supply chain) emissions – reducing the carbon footprint of your suppliers to reduce your impact on the planet.
Carbon insetting refers to when a company looks to reduce emissions within the supply chain.
From investing in new technology that helps lower an affiliated organisations’ emissions, through to working with them to establish more sustainable business practices – carbon insetting is identifying unsustainable areas within the supply chain and taking action to remedy them. It is an effective strategy of carbon reduction, and when implemented correctly has a wealth of mutual benefits for everyone involved.
It might include helping a supplier to invest in more sustainable machinery or logistics, or working with them to fund projects to improve their overall sustainability credentials.
As well as lowering emissions across the supply chain, carbon insetting demonstrates ethical and green credentials – showing that your business is environmentally aware and playing its part in the fight against climate change.
Applying sustainability initiatives of any kind also creates opportunity for new effective relationships in line with these new values. It can also help make your organisation more efficient as it allows you to identify areas in need of improvement by replacing ineffective or costly practices with ones that are innovative, current and sustainable.
If you’re wondering where to begin – we can help.
Sustainable procurement and the successful carbon insetting are inextricably linked.
We can work alongside your business to assess your current practices, establish where you are and create effective development and improvement plans for a greener, more sustainable future and supply network. This means critically examining your current supply chain participants, pinpointing the areas and organisations who are most suitable for carbon insetting and establishing how this could be done in a cost-effective and achievable way.
From implementing ISO20400 standard, achieving Net Zero and calculating your carbon footprint, through to sustainability health checks and engaging suppliers on your behalf – we are here to help you build a sustainable and successful future.
Combining years of experience in the industry with our specialist, cloud-based software such as Axiom’s Supply Chain Emissions Calculator – we provide bespoke support, equipping you with tools and knowledge needed to embed sustainable procurement throughout the whole supply chain.
Discover how we can help your business by contacting us here.
As the European energy crisis starts to bite, we’ll be discussing how ethical and sustainable procurement can benefit businesses during this uncertain period, and what a move towards sustainability may mean for businesses and the energy industry going forwards.
There are a number of things driving the UK energy crisis including lower supply, low gas storage stocks, high European carbon prices and an increased demand for gas caused by the economy reopening after the pandemic. A lack of shipping capacity and reduction in truck drivers to export this commodity has also exacerbated the situation, complicated further by gas and nuclear maintenance outages.
The energy crisis is yet another challenge to navigate following the difficulties presented by the Coronavirus pandemic. From financial stresses resulting from soaring energy prices through to frustrating supply chain and stock issues – the UK energy crisis has had serious effects on businesses of all sizes.
The energy crisis is also closely linked with the environmental crisis. The current consumption model we rely on uses almost entirely non-renewable energy sources such as gas, coal, oil and uranium. As global trade continues to expand and as technologies develop, global energy consumption will carry on rising. Meeting this demand will require significant additional supply.
This could be bad news for our planet which is already facing a range of problems caused by climate change. Although strategies have been implemented to address this, such as the SDGs put forwards by The United Nations, and the goals of Net Zero outlined by COP26, the energy crisis threatens to undo any good work made and prevent these objectives from being achieved.
The methods we are using to source energy, and the rate at which we are consuming it, is simply not sustainable and something must change.
The rapid acceleration of the energy crisis and the extreme consequences it prompted has revealed glaring supply vulnerabilities.
It’s obvious that something must change in order to create a more efficient, robust and greener energy supply. For this to happen, investment should be made into new technologies and infrastructure that limits energy waste, reduces Co2 emissions but are still efficient and cost-effective.
A move towards sustainability is key. Some energy sources are totally renewable and unlike fossil fuels, do not emit greenhouse gases which harm the environment. Examples of sustainable and alternative energy solutions include hydropower, solar energy, biomass energy and geothermal energy.
In addition to implementing alternative energy sources, it’s also important that we collectively change our attitude towards how we use energy. Businesses and individuals should make the switch to sustainable solutions when they can and avoid waste as much as possible.
One method of making your business more energy efficient is through sustainable procurement. Prioritising sustainability in the supply chain means thinking about where your energy is coming from, how it is being sourced and in turn, making more sustainable and informed choices.
In addition to directly making a difference, you’re also impacting the market – driving up demand for more sustainable and innovative solutions. As more organisations embrace sustainable procurement and seek affiliation with ethical and environmentally aware businesses, this will put significant pressure on the energy industry to change.
As demand for green energy increases, the supply will inevitably increase – driving a green transition that could lead us to a more sustainable future.
Ethical and Sustainable Procurement Support from Gateway
Build a sustainable, successful future for your business and support the drive for green energy with support from Gateway Procurement.
From implementing the ISO20400 standard and going Net Zero, through to improving your wider environmental, social and economic responsibility credentials – we will support you in achieving your goals through ethical and sustainable procurement.
Using our expertise and access to speciality tools (like the supply chain emissions calculator from Axiom), we will work alongside you and your business to integrate sustainable practices across your operations and throughout the supply chain to advance your organisations sustainability.
Find out more about our sustainable procurement services, or speak to one of our expert team via our contact page today.
It’s nearly the end of the year, and although it’s important to reflect on the last twelve months, it’s also helpful to look to the future and consider what your business needs going forwards. Read on to learn how becoming more sustainable and embracing ethical procurement in 2022 can strengthen your organisation.
The pandemic has presented complex challenges to all organisations of all sizes.
Although it has revealed the vulnerabilities of businesses, it also showcased the ways in which we can all be flexible and adapt to adversity with new methods of working.
At Gateway, we pride ourselves on delivering innovative solutions, and have witnessed first-hand just how helpful advancing your sustainability credentials can be in making your businesses more robust.
We believe supply chains are an essential element of the sustainability agenda. By examining where your business is sourcing the goods, commodities or services integral to your operations, you can check for discrepancies or weaknesses that may threaten your business’s ethical credentials, and ongoing viability.
This enables you to take action to change unsustainable practices, and replace them with effective and environmentally-friendly solutions that make your organisation stronger and more ethically compliant, now and into the future.
Investing in developing a sustainable supply chain comes with a range of benefits.
Many businesses are reluctant to change elements of their business out of fear that it will be costly. However, this is a misconception. Making the right changes can lead to substantial savings as sustainability often cuts waste through increasing the efficiency of your business infrastructure.
Investing in sustainable supply chains can also help you to grow your business and extend its reach through bolstering its reputation. Climate change and ethical business practices are extremely topical, and there is a distinct pressure on all organisations to prove their credibility and demonstrate what it is they are doing to be greener.
By sourcing commodities in an environmentally friendly way and securing partnerships with credible suppliers, your business will be perceived as one that legitimately cares – attracting like-minded organisations whilst boosting your reputation.
At Gateway Procurement, we help businesses and organisations across the UK obtain best value through procurement. We offer three main services, each designed to deliver the best possible value whilst ensuring you meet your sustainability goals.
Procurement Support: With decades of experience and a proven track record of delivering across multiple categories, our team of MCIPS qualified procurement professionals can help with a range of spend categories, including everything from consumables and travel through to energy and IT. We can also provide advice on end to end tender management, benchmarking and quick sourcing strategy development.
Cost Optimisation: Using a proven, three step process our procurement specialists will deliver sustainable, worthwhile savings that benefit your business now and in the future. We analyse expenditure to help you recognise trends, as well as identifying the right opportunities to benchmark current prices, review key contracts, reduce costs and engage key stakeholders. Finally, we can ensure you unlock the best value and take advantage of the right, cost saving opportunities by developing bespoke sourcing plans that fulfil agreed objectives.
Sustainable Procurement: From implementing the ISO20400 standard through to Net Zero ambitions – we’re here to help you improve your environmental, social and economic responsibility through sustainable procurement. Using specialist tools, which includes SECR reporting software, we can assess your current practices – which, in turn, can help us create informed development and improvement plans bespoke to your organisation.
Whatever your business goals are in the new year – we can help. Whether you want to further your sustainability strategy or reduce costs, our specialist tools and years of experience can help your business flourish in 2022.
Get in touch with Gateway Procurement today on 01482645844, or by emailing daniel@gatewayprocurement.co.uk.
Yesterday we celebrated World Soil Day – an annual day designed to raise awareness about soil’s important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being, whilst addressing challenges in soil management and advocating for better soil health and sanitisation.
Read on to find out about some of the biggest problems facing soil, and how a sustainable supply chain can help.
Soil is an invaluable resource. In addition to being the habitat to a diverse range of insects and other organisms, soil is responsible for carrying out a range of functions and services that human life relies on.
From providing a place for plants and food crops to grow through to filtering our water supply and preventing flooding, soil plays an integral role in maintaining a balanced, healthy ecosystem and is the largest terrestrial store of carbon.
The theme of World Soil Day 2021 is “halt soil salinisation, boost soil productivity”. Soil salinisation and sodification involve salt in the soil, and are major soil degradation processes that cause a decrease in agricultural productivity, soil biodiversity, soil erosion and water quality.
Although salinisation can be caused by natural processes such as chemical weathering and transport from geological deposits or groundwater, it can also be brought on by human activity through inappropriate irrigation practices and/or poor drainage conditions. This includes the use of salt-rich irrigation water, a frequent practice in dry climates which leads to an accumulation of salt that is unable to be washed away by rainfall.
It’s anticipated that the problems facing soil are only going to get worse with projected temperature increases caused by climate change. As temperatures rise, water and soil salinity is likely to be in parallel, leading to a dramatic increase in the demand for irrigation. Unless something is done, this will have a huge impact on agricultural production – leading to further water and food security issues.
There are several practices which can help control salinity. These include implementing the infrastructure to improve drainage, minimising irrigation, isolating salts and employing good soil and water management through drip irrigation, scheduling, seedbed placement and more.
Other action includes raising awareness. By drawing attention to the urgent problems facing soil and its important relationship to people and the planet, we can also start to advocate for better soil management and health. This is why annual events such as World Soil Day are so valuable, as they instigate real change and force organisations to take accountability and consider how they can help.
Protecting the earth’s natural resources is an essential part of the journey toward sustainability and achieving the relevant Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations.
Although natural causes are partially responsible for causing soil issues like erosion and salinisation, human activity is undoubtedly an exacerbating factor which needs to be addressed. Practices such as deforestation and the use of chemical fertilisers for industries such as agriculture all damage soil integrity and quality – transforming previously fertile and productive land into barren wastelands.
It’s never been more important for businesses to make sure that they’re using sustainably sourced commodities that don’t rely on these sorts of practices. This can be achieved through re-evaluating your current supply chain, and by implementing sustainable procurement.
Making the switch to a sustainable supply chain helps you make sure that your business’s commodities are being sourced in a way that don’t compromise the planet, people and wildlife.
In addition to supporting soil through sustainable procurement, this helps you play your part in the fight against climate change, and be compliant with specific SDG’s such as Target 15.5 – “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”.
A comprehensive list of the Sustainable Development Goals can be found here.
Sustainable procurement also has a multitude of advantages from a business perspective. It shows a willingness to be transparent – making you more trustworthy to existing and prospective clients and presents your business as ethically and morally astute.
However, before you can track and implement sustainability you have to be able to measure it. A good way to do this is by using sustainability software that allows your business to monitor, analyse and improve sustainability performance. This is also incredibly useful for SDG reporting purposes, as it enables you to set baselines, report on key metrics and track progress towards key goals.
As discussions around sustainability gather more momentum, there’s never been a better time to reconsider your supply chain. At Gateway Procurement, we help businesses and organisations across the UK to obtain best value through sustainable procurement.
If you want to improve supply chain performance or supply chain sustainability, or need specialist advice on any aspect of effective procurement, our team of experts is here to help.
Get in touch with Gateway Procurement today on 01482645844, or by emailing daniel@gatewayprocurement.co.uk.
When was the last time you did some procurement benchmarking?
Today’s businesses understand that the basis for competition isn’t just between individual organisations, but also between their supply networks.
The best supply networks are reliant on integrated business models, built on effective relationships and value creation – and procurement is the main interface between an organisation and its suppliers.
Every organisation aims to maintain a supply base that works efficiently and contributes to its success. Benchmarking its own procurement function against ‘best in class’ procurement is an essential part of this process.
In this post, we explore procurement benchmarking, looking at what it is, what the benefits and challenges are, and how you can implement it in your organisation.
Benchmarking is a process of comparing the performance of a procurement function with that of its best competitor or the best organisation in its industry.
Effective procurement benchmarking does not only look at superior performance – it examines how it is achieved. This information is then used to establish the procurement function’s performance targets and action plans.
There are various benefits to procurement benchmarking, including:
There are some challenges associated with benchmarking, including:
There are five basic stages in procurement benchmarking. These are plan, analyse, develop, improve, and review.
Stage 1 – Plan: What are we going to benchmark? Every measurable aspect of procurement activity can be benchmarked (e.g. processes, price paid, cost, people, supplier performance).
Stage 2 – Analyse: Who are we going to benchmark against? Identify a best in class organisation , then perform a gap analysis to establish performance differential and establish reasons for the gap and how to close it.
Stage 3 – Develop: Based on the output from stage 2, identify new performance objectives, standards and processes. A key outcome of this stage is to have action plans that either match or surpass the performance of the ‘best in class’ organisation.
Stage 4 – Enhance: Implement and integrate the action plans developed in stage 3to form the basis of new procurement ways of working.
Stage 5 – Monitor: Monitor improvements and results via a reporting system that communicates progress towards benchmarking goals.
Technology can greatly enhance how procurement interacts and manages the supply base.
The benchmarking process is crucial to establishing if the procurement function is performing as it should do. Without external comparisons, an organisation might not recognise what good practice looks like or what other procurement functions are doing. Benchmarking should be a tool or practice used to drive continual improvement.
A procurement function cannot be leading if it does not have visibility of what good practice looks like!
At Gateway Procurement, we help businesses and organisations across the UK to obtain best value through procurement.
If you need specialist advice on benchmarking, or support with any aspect of procurement, our team of experts is here to help.
Get in touch with Gateway Procurement today on 01482645844, or by emailing daniel@gatewayprocurement.co.uk.
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