The Strategic Supply Chain Group (SSCG) brings together senior executives/board level representatives to consider environmental and sustainability issues in supply chains. SSCG aims to enable organisations overcome the barriers to effective sustainable supply chain management; help to set the agenda for business and Government activity in supply chain management; provide a focus for discussion of emerging issues in the field and influence policy-making; act as a catalyst for change at board level and in global supply chains; help businesses and Government departments maximise the benefits of informed supply chain management; and help reduce reputational risk to business and Government.
A study conducted by Sustainable Procurement Ltd on behalf of Action Sustainability into sustainable procurement benchmarks and indicators concluded that social issues are increasingly important and visible. Activity is increasing at European public procurement level - the Dutch and Swiss Governments have already incorporated social issues in some public procurement contracts. The RESPIRO project, funded by the EU Commission and delivered by ICLEI probed some of the social issues applicable to public procurement of construction and textiles. CARPE has demonstrated that across Europe, local authorities are increasingly concerned with wider social issues. UK local government is using its local regeneration remit to pursue social improvements through the procurement of goods, services and construction. The occasional negative publicity around the Beijing Olympics about labour standard abuses will start becoming more relevant the closer we get to London 2012.
SSCG is at the forefront of good procurement and provides advice to Government. To remain at the cutting edge of sustainable procurement SSCG has decided to convene a working group to debate the potential to include social issues in both public and private sector procurement. Specifically, the group will set out to:
Should you wish to participate in this group, you will need to be prepared to share both experiences and views on emerging major issues and how you plan to address them. We are looking for both company input and public sector perspectives, to help us explore what is possible and appropriate in each case.
Please contact Emma-Jane Allen on tel: 020 7700 0008 or e mail emma-jane@actionsustanability.com should you wish to participate.