Sustainable Procurement: How to Get Your Organisation Started
Sustainable procurement has moved from «nice-to-have» to business-critical. Large customers demand ESG reporting from suppliers. Investors measure portfolio climate footprints. EU regulation (CSRD, EU Taxonomy) forces transparency. And employees — especially younger generations — choose workplaces with clear sustainability profiles.
But where to begin? This article gives a practical starter kit: what sustainable procurement really means, which low-threshold measures deliver quick results, and how a modern procurement system like Vieri makes sustainability work measurable and simple.
Key takeaways
- • Sustainable procurement = environment, social responsibility and ethics considered in procurement decisions
- • 5 quick wins give measurable results in 90 days
- • Data is key — without tracking you can't measure or report
- • Vieri Sustainability module collects ESG data automatically from every order
What is sustainable procurement really?
Sustainable procurement (often called «green procurement») means including environmental, social and ethical considerations in procurement decisions — not just price. It means considering:
- Environmental impact: CO2 emissions, material use, waste, transport, circular economy
- Social responsibility: Working conditions, equality, human rights in the supply chain
- Ethics: Anti-corruption, transparency, truthful marketing
- Local value creation: Preference for local suppliers where appropriate
See also our article on CSRD and procurement for the regulatory context.
5 quick wins for 90 days
1. Map your top-20 suppliers
The 80/20 rule applies here too: your top 20 suppliers typically account for 70-80% of spend. Ask them for ESG information: EcoVadis score, ISO 14001, carbon accounts. Use info to prioritise where to act first.
2. Set green requirements in top categories
What are your 5 largest procurement categories? For each: define 2-3 minimum requirements. For office supplies: recycled paper, refill ink, eco-labelled cleaning.
3. Switch out the worst suppliers
Have a supplier with no environmental certifications where you buy a lot? Map 2-3 green alternatives and plan a 6-12 month transition.
4. Introduce CO2 requirements in tenders
For all new tenders over €10,000 — require the supplier to report CO2 emissions for the delivery. Don't set limits year one; just collect data.
5. Automate documentation
Use a procurement system like Vieri to store certifications, CO2 data and compliance per supplier. Manual Excel work dies naturally.
How Vieri supports sustainable procurement
- Supplier ESG profile: Certifications, EcoVadis scores, carbon accounts
- Automatic categorisation: Green products flagged in catalogue with icons
- Preference filter: Buyers can sort/filter on sustainability attributes
- CO2 tracking: Per category, supplier and order
- CSRD reports: Ready data exports for ESG reporting
- Due diligence: Documentation on supplier risk assessments
💡 Did you know?
The sustainability module measures the CO2 footprint of actual purchases, so a reduction can be evidenced rather than estimated. How much you can take out depends on category mix and which better-profile suppliers exist.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Over-ambition from day one: Skip 100% targets. Start at 20% and grow.
- Greenwashing in your own name: Communicate only what you can document
- Ignoring suppliers: They need to be on board. Tell them requirements in advance.
- No measurements: Without data, everything is anecdotes. Set up KPIs from the start.
- Isolating sustainability in one department: Sustainability must enter every procurement decision
Get started with sustainable procurement
Book a 30-minute demo of the Vieri Sustainability module. We'll show how to track, report and reduce your procurement climate footprint — automatically.
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