PURCHASING FOR YOUR BUSINESS

The supply-chain decisions you make can have significant effects on the environment, but there are some straightforward steps you can take to ensure that any adverse impact is minimised.

Driving environmental and carbon efficiency through the supply chain may appear difficult and time consuming, but it is a process with increasingly clear business benefits. You save money by identifying wasted resources, and with customers increasingly using environmental issues in their purchasing decisions, you could enhance your reputation.

Rather then just looking at the upfront costs of the items your business buys, think about the lifetime costs of a purchase. This can lead to better value in the long run. It can also lead to environmental benefits, as products with low whole-life costs tend to be those that are energy-efficient and materials-efficient.

Life-cycle assessment allows you to consider a wider range of environmental impacts such as use of energy and resources, output of waste and pollution, and disposal at end of life.

There is also a methodology for assessing the greenhouse gas emissions from products across their life cycle (available from the Carbon Trust).

Consider sourcing products and services locally to reduce transport costs and support sustainable local businesses.

The Horsham Business Incentive Scheme HBiS is an innovative incentive scheme set up and run by local service providers. It is designed to encourage employers and employees to ‘Keep it Local’, offers them preferential terms on services from HBiS partner providers that are available, using a personal ‘HBiS card’ given to employees by employers who join the scheme.

The Horsham Business Directory is useful for identifying local businesses and potential suppliers. The Council also runs an annual month-long Food and Drink Festival which is a celebration of locally produced food and drink.

 

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