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Local Markets and Ethical Trade
Individuals and organisations are increasingly aware of the important contribution that they can make to local economies through informed purchasing decisions. Many providers are now implementing policies through which they can support local markets, contribute to the local economy and to other socially responsible initiatives within the community. Many also support ethical and fair trade in international markets.
Providers are large consumers and purchasers with significant purchasing power. They can have a real impact by purchasing responsibly, opting for goods with sustainable credentials and by demanding goods with higher sustainability credentials through clear specifications. Procurement specifications should consider not only the source of the materials the product is made from and its longevity in the work place, but also its eventual redundancy and disposal.
Providers should think about putting together a specification / purchasing policy that prioritises procurement of goods with the emphasis on local sources and also to cover issues such as:
• Examining the product's life cycle analysis this looks at the sustainability impact of a product from cradle to grave.
• Building partnerships with suppliers to develop more sustainable supply chains for all the products.
• Ensuring that the ethical and green credentials of all suppliers and sub contractors are built into any bid and quotation process.
• Ensuring a transparent tender process.
• Ensuring any catering / canteen food is fresh, local, genetically modified organism free, and ideally, free range, fair trade and organic.
• Reducing the contribution to climate change by prioritising the purchase of low energy products, having energy efficient buildings and transport fleets and buying energy from renewable sources or installing micro-generation of energy
• Ensuring that the chemical products used do not adversely affect the health of residents, staff or the environment.
• Ensuring that ethical trade is covered in the curriculum e.g. materials use in fashion and design courses.
• Encourage learners and staff to think differently e.g. have days to promote buying Fairtrade products.
Some useful guidance on sustainable procurement is outlined below.
• Forum for the Future, working with the Welsh Assembly Government's Procurement Initiative (Value Wales), have developed a Public Sector Sustainable Procurement Assessment Tool. This is a Self-Assessment Tool that enables a health check of where your organisation currently stands in its capacity to delivery sustainable procurement. It helps to identify strengths and formulate a plan to address deficiencies. This is not available on line but can be obtained from Sarah Hills.
• There are also opportunities to engage proactively with environmentally and socially responsible employers in a provider’s local community. They can be approached to identify ways in which the provider can use the business as a local resource. Organisations such as Business in the Community can provide good examples of relevant businesses. Their directory of members provides a list of more than 750 companies, including 71 in the FTSE 100. For example, the Cooperative Group, with headquarters in Manchester and 70,000 employees nationwide, promotes sustainable development principles, including fair trade, ethical policies, environmental and corporate community involvement.
• The section on Buildings and Estates Management provides more detailed guidance on how to procure locally, ethically and green goods and services.
Providers are large consumers and purchasers with significant purchasing power. They can have a real impact by purchasing responsibly, opting for goods with sustainable credentials and by demanding goods with higher sustainability credentials through clear specifications. Procurement specifications should consider not only the source of the materials the product is made from and its longevity in the work place, but also its eventual redundancy and disposal.
Providers should think about putting together a specification / purchasing policy that prioritises procurement of goods with the emphasis on local sources and also to cover issues such as:
• Examining the product's life cycle analysis this looks at the sustainability impact of a product from cradle to grave.
• Building partnerships with suppliers to develop more sustainable supply chains for all the products.
• Ensuring that the ethical and green credentials of all suppliers and sub contractors are built into any bid and quotation process.
• Ensuring a transparent tender process.
• Ensuring any catering / canteen food is fresh, local, genetically modified organism free, and ideally, free range, fair trade and organic.
• Reducing the contribution to climate change by prioritising the purchase of low energy products, having energy efficient buildings and transport fleets and buying energy from renewable sources or installing micro-generation of energy
• Ensuring that the chemical products used do not adversely affect the health of residents, staff or the environment.
• Ensuring that ethical trade is covered in the curriculum e.g. materials use in fashion and design courses.
• Encourage learners and staff to think differently e.g. have days to promote buying Fairtrade products.
Some useful guidance on sustainable procurement is outlined below.
• Forum for the Future, working with the Welsh Assembly Government's Procurement Initiative (Value Wales), have developed a Public Sector Sustainable Procurement Assessment Tool. This is a Self-Assessment Tool that enables a health check of where your organisation currently stands in its capacity to delivery sustainable procurement. It helps to identify strengths and formulate a plan to address deficiencies. This is not available on line but can be obtained from Sarah Hills.
• There are also opportunities to engage proactively with environmentally and socially responsible employers in a provider’s local community. They can be approached to identify ways in which the provider can use the business as a local resource. Organisations such as Business in the Community can provide good examples of relevant businesses. Their directory of members provides a list of more than 750 companies, including 71 in the FTSE 100. For example, the Cooperative Group, with headquarters in Manchester and 70,000 employees nationwide, promotes sustainable development principles, including fair trade, ethical policies, environmental and corporate community involvement.
• The section on Buildings and Estates Management provides more detailed guidance on how to procure locally, ethically and green goods and services.
