Budding Purchasing Standard Includes Transparency in Principles

The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC), which plans to develop a rating system similar to LEED for sustainable purchasing and procurement policies, has taken one step closer to launch by releasing a set of guiding principles. The principles are meant to give companies an idea of what leadership in procurement would encompass and to help early adopters start performing self-assessments, according to SPLC. Once the rating system is fully developed, an organization will demonstrate leadership through:

• Understanding the relevant environmental, social, and economic impacts of its purchasing

• Taking responsibility for those impacts by committing to an action plan

• Delivering on that commitment through tangible results

• Actively promoting internal and external innovation that advances a positive future

• Soliciting and disclosing information in a transparent manner to support marketplace innovation

Christina Macken, director of programs for SPLC, told EBN the organization is seeking to fill a critical missing link between design, construction, and operations. “LEED has done a great job of accelerating market adoption [of sustainable products], and we have seen materials improve, but it sometimes falls short in ensuring those practices continue into operations. We are trying to keep that connection to sustainability going.”

SPLC also recently announced a set of purchasing categories that the standard will target, including: professional services, electricity, transportation and fuels, food, chemically intensive products, wood and agrifiber products, construction and renovation, and information technology services and hardware.

For more information:

Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council

http://www.purchasingcouncil.org/