• 10 Ways to Green Your Business Supply Chain

  • business-supply-chainMany businesses do not have a comprehensive understanding of the effects of their supply chain on the environment. Here are 10 tips that can help you “green” and protect the environment through your business.

    1. Minimize transportation miles. One way to do this is by choosing manufacturer by proximity.

    2. Choose materials that are proven sustainable such as recycled packaging bags and tools. Once you choose your sustainable materials, let your customers know about your production process and environmental savings. This helps to enhance trust between the business and its customers. The materials such as packaging bags can have easy to read info graphics that illustrate the importance of using sustainable materials.

    3. Look for new sources of recycled products. This may require some research and comparison-shopping.

    4. Design your business products to fit the recycled materials.

    5. Map your supply chain. Inventory your suppliers in order to identify the most pressing environmental and social challenges they may have. This will help you align your business’ supply chain sustainability efforts with those of your suppliers.

    6. Communicate expectations. Establish and communicate a supplier code of conduct in order to get your suppliers on board in your business’ sustainability efforts. The supplier code of conduct will also help you prioritize areas in your organization’s value chain that needs improvement in terms of sustainability.

    7. Undertake a baseline supplier performance survey. Once you identify your target suppliers and have set compliance standards, collect data from the suppliers using a simple questionnaire or through self-assessment. This will help you determine the starting point in your supply chain sustainability efforts. Communicate back to your suppliers the findings of your research and provide tips for improvement.

    8. Develop training and capacity building programs. Look at what top suppliers and vendors are doing to ensure sustainable supply chain management and try to incorporate their practices into your business.

    9. Create a shift towards sustainable supply chain management by leveraging your buying power and influence.

    10. Finally, encourage innovation and the formulation of supply chain management standards. For instance, integrate sustainable supply chain management into the procurement process.

    Sustainable supply chain management aims at establishing standards that will align business practices with those of sustainable development.

    Posted in Topics:Awareness and Hype, Tags: , on May 12, 2015