Sustainable Procurement: From Buzzword to Action

Inside Public Procurement: Heroic Stories from the Frontlines

Sustainability is not the buzz word it once was. Nowadays, it’s a tangible initiative. The private sector has been increasingly pushing sustainability in their procurement over the past few years, and it’s now starting to take hold in the public space.

The idea of sustainable procurement has been around for a while, but it’s important to point out that the definition has changed a little bit. It’s not just about environmental sustainability anymore; it brings in the social aspect as well. Supplier diversity and other diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are hugely important to impactful sustainable procurement.

This seems like a huge project to take on—and it is. However, it’s important to lean on your peers, start small, and really determine what sustainability means to you and your organization. Our guests on this episode say the key is mindfulness—being conscious of what you’re buying, why, and where it’s coming from.

We had the pleasure of chatting with two sustainable procurement champions from the Ontario College Procurement Managers Association (OCPMA). Carol Izzio, Director of Procurement at Sheridan College, and Christine McParland, Director of Residence & Ancillary Services at St. Lawrence College, have been in the trenches of creating sustainable procurement policies and procedures. There’s a lot of experience between them, and they have so much wisdom to give anyone interested in starting their own initiatives.

Tune in to hear more about:

• The importance of planning and incremental progress
• Busting old school misconceptions about sustainability
• Being more mindful in your purchasing
• Ways to get started on your sustainability policies
• The importance of procurement visibility in these initiatives

You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.

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