Unilever Case Study
Engagement with suppliers
Conclusions
Suppliers are crucial to reaching sustainable procurement goals and objectives. In this regard, M&S is what
BS 8903 calls a ‘Pioneer’ – that is to say, a high influence buyer with sufficient buying power to engage with suppliers and bring about sustainability improvements.
In turn, M&S recognizes its opportunities in the supply chain and works with its suppliers so that they share responsibility for sustainability. Suppliers are expected to answer questions that specifically relate to sustainability issues - M&S will only do business with suppliers that meet its sustainability criteria and who are prepared to work with it to improve their sustainability performance.
All suppliers are invited to join the Plan A
Supplier Exchange, a website to share best practice and knowledge across a wide variety of topics. In addition, key suppliers are invited to attend the company’s annual
Plan A conference which is attended by over 1,200 suppliers.
BS 8903 has provided a really useful framework that has helped M&S develop its own specific approach to sustainable procurement. M&S has taken and adapted those elements of the guide that meet the goals and objectives of M&S and which complement M&S’s existing and significant programme of related activity which is encompassed by Plan A. According to
Tim Brennan: “BS 8903 provides comprehensive information relating to sustainability, that is easily accessible and straightforward to interpret and use.”
BSI Case Study Marks & Spencer
BS 8903 Sustainable Procurement
BSI/UK/185/ST/0313/en/DD
BS 8903 Sustainable Procurement
© BSI Group
BSI Case Study Marks & Spencer
“BS 8903 has been invaluable as a reference in developing our sustainable procurement approach.” Roger Davies, M&S Group Head of Procurement
How the Marks & Spencer Procurement team has used BS 8903 to embed sustainable procurement within its team and ways of working
Conclusions
Suppliers are crucial to reaching sustainable procurement goals and objectives. In this regard, M&S is what
BS 8903 calls a ‘Pioneer’ – that is to say, a high influence buyer with sufficient buying power to engage with suppliers and bring about sustainability improvements.
In turn, M&S recognizes its opportunities in the supply chain and works with its suppliers so that they share responsibility for sustainability. Suppliers are expected to answer questions that specifically relate to sustainability issues - M&S will only do business with suppliers that meet its sustainability criteria and who are prepared to work with it to improve their sustainability performance.
All suppliers are invited to join the Plan A
Supplier Exchange, a website to share best practice and knowledge across a wide variety of topics. In addition, key suppliers are invited to attend the company’s annual
Plan A conference which is attended by over 1,200 suppliers.
BS 8903 has provided a really useful framework that has helped M&S develop its own specific approach to sustainable procurement. M&S has taken and adapted those elements of the guide that meet the goals and objectives of M&S and which complement M&S’s existing and significant programme of related activity which is encompassed by Plan A. According to
Tim Brennan: “BS 8903 provides comprehensive information relating to sustainability, that is easily accessible and straightforward to interpret and use.”
BSI Case Study Marks & Spencer
BS 8903 Sustainable Procurement
BSI/UK/185/ST/0313/en/DD
BS 8903 Sustainable Procurement
© BSI Group
BSI Case Study Marks & Spencer
“BS 8903 has been invaluable as a reference in developing our sustainable procurement approach.” Roger Davies, M&S Group Head of Procurement
How the Marks & Spencer Procurement team has used BS 8903 to embed sustainable procurement within its team and ways of working