Introduction

Sustainable and green procurement is an approach that integrates environmental, social, and economic considerations into the procurement process, aiming to reduce the environmental footprint and promote social responsibility while maintaining cost-effectiveness. This course is designed to equip procurement professionals with the knowledge and skills to implement sustainable and green procurement strategies across various sectors. The course emphasizes not only the importance of sustainability in procurement but also how organizations can drive long-term value by sourcing responsibly, engaging with ethical suppliers, and fostering sustainable practices throughout the supply chain.

As the global focus on climate change and environmental issues intensifies, adopting sustainable procurement practices is becoming an essential part of corporate strategy. This course will help professionals understand how to create value through green procurement, minimize environmental impact, and achieve sustainability goals.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the concepts and principles of sustainable and green procurement.
• Develop and implement sustainable procurement strategies in alignment with organizational goals.
• Identify and evaluate green suppliers and assess environmental impacts throughout the supply chain.
• Integrate environmental criteria into the procurement decision-making process.
• Apply life-cycle costing and total cost of ownership analysis to support green procurement decisions.
• Understand legal regulations and international standards for sustainable procurement.
• Use sustainability metrics to measure and report on procurement performance.
• Promote circular economy principles and engage in sustainable sourcing to reduce waste.

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for:

• Procurement Managers and Specialists seeking to incorporate sustainability into procurement practices.
• Sustainability Managers responsible for driving green initiatives across supply chains.
• Contract Managers involved in creating sustainable procurement contracts.
• Category Managers responsible for sourcing eco-friendly products and services.
• Environmental Compliance Officers working to ensure sustainability in supply chain operations.
• Project Managers looking to integrate sustainable procurement practices into project delivery.
• Supply Chain Executives who want to incorporate environmental and social responsibility into procurement and supply chain strategies.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Sustainable and Green Procurement

Morning Session: Understanding Sustainable Procurement

• Defining sustainable procurement and its role in achieving sustainability goals.
• Key drivers of sustainable procurement: regulatory compliance, corporate responsibility, and public demand.
• The environmental, economic, and social dimensions of green procurement.
• Key benefits of sustainable procurement: cost savings, risk management, and brand value.
• Overview of the global sustainability agenda and its impact on procurement.

Afternoon Session: The Business Case for Green Procurement

• The importance of aligning procurement strategies with corporate sustainability and social responsibility goals.
• How green procurement can reduce operational costs and enhance brand reputation.
• Risk management through green procurement: reducing exposure to environmental liabilities.
• Case study: Successful green procurement practices in leading organizations.
• Group discussion: Identifying opportunities for sustainable procurement in your organization.

Day 2: Developing and Implementing Sustainable Procurement Strategies

Morning Session: Building a Green Procurement Strategy

• Steps to develop a sustainable procurement strategy: setting goals, defining policies, and identifying key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Engaging stakeholders and securing buy-in for sustainable procurement initiatives.
• Creating a sustainability roadmap for procurement operations.
• Key elements of a green procurement policy: environmental standards, supplier requirements, and product life-cycle analysis.
• Workshop: Developing a green procurement policy tailored to your organization’s needs.

Afternoon Session: Supplier Engagement and Evaluation

• Identifying green suppliers and assessing their sustainability practices.
• Key environmental certifications and standards for suppliers: ISO 14001, Fair Trade, Energy Star, and others.
• Evaluating suppliers based on environmental performance: energy use, waste management, carbon footprint, and resource efficiency.
• How to build long-term relationships with sustainable suppliers.
• Group exercise: Evaluating a supplier’s environmental practices using sustainable procurement criteria.

Day 3: Integrating Environmental Criteria into Procurement Decisions

Morning Session: Green Procurement and Life-Cycle Costing

• Introduction to life-cycle costing and how it supports green procurement.
• Analyzing the total cost of ownership: cost savings over the product or service’s lifetime.
• Incorporating environmental impacts into decision-making: energy efficiency, waste reduction, and carbon emissions.
• Tools and models for conducting life-cycle analysis in procurement.
• Case study: Applying life-cycle costing in procurement decisions for energy-efficient products.

Afternoon Session: Sustainable Sourcing and Circular Economy Principles

• The concept of the circular economy and its application in procurement: reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling.
• Sustainable sourcing: how to identify products and materials that are responsibly sourced.
• The role of eco-labels and certifications in guiding sustainable sourcing decisions.
• Strategies for incorporating closed-loop supply chains and eco-design into procurement processes.
• Workshop: Building a sustainable sourcing strategy for a procurement category.

Day 4: Legal, Regulatory, and Industry Standards for Sustainable Procurement

Morning Session: Navigating Legal and Regulatory Frameworks

• Key laws and regulations impacting sustainable procurement: international standards, local regulations, and industry-specific requirements.
• Understanding public procurement laws and how they incorporate green procurement practices.
• Carbon regulations and the impact on procurement decisions.
• Case study: Analyzing how regulatory compliance influences sustainable procurement practices in the public sector.
• Group discussion: Addressing challenges in navigating green procurement regulations.

Afternoon Session: Standards and Certifications in Sustainable Procurement

• Introduction to international standards for green procurement: ISO 20400, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and LEED.
• How to use sustainability certifications to guide procurement decisions and supplier selection.
• Ensuring transparency and traceability in green procurement decisions.
• The role of third-party audits and environmental labels in verifying supplier claims.
• Workshop: Mapping sustainable certifications to procurement categories.

Day 5: Measuring Performance and Reporting on Sustainable Procurement

Morning Session: Measuring and Reporting on Green Procurement

• Key performance indicators (KPIs) for green procurement: carbon emissions, energy savings, waste reduction, and social impact.
• Tools and techniques for tracking and reporting sustainability performance in procurement.
• Setting targets for sustainable procurement and monitoring progress.
• Sustainability reporting frameworks: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), and others.
• Case study: Using KPIs to measure the impact of green procurement strategies.

Afternoon Session: Building a Green Procurement Culture

• How to integrate sustainability into the corporate culture and procurement processes.
• Training and awareness programs for procurement teams to foster green practices.
• Engaging suppliers, stakeholders, and the public in green procurement initiatives.
• Strategies for ensuring continuous improvement and innovation in sustainable procurement.
• Final group activity: Developing an action plan for implementing sustainable procurement in your organization.

Training Methodology

This course is designed using a combination of:

• Case studies to examine real-world examples of successful green procurement.
• Workshops and exercises for participants to apply concepts and create actionable plans.
• Interactive discussions to share best practices and industry challenges.
• Role-playing exercises to simulate supplier evaluation and sustainable sourcing decisions.
• Tools and templates for developing procurement strategies, evaluating suppliers, and measuring sustainability performance.

Certification

Upon successful completion, participants will receive:

• A Certificate of Completion in Sustainable and Green Procurement from Learnify® Training.
• A Digital Badge for LinkedIn and professional recognition.

This certification demonstrates your expertise in sustainable procurement, empowering you to drive environmentally and socially responsible practices within your procurement function and contribute to the broader corporate sustainability agenda.