Sustainable Procurement - by Jonathan O'Brien (Paperback)

About the Book

Transform procurement practices with this step-by-step process to successfully drive sustainability in direct suppliers and up the supply chain.

Book Synopsis

The business case for sustainability and the global imperative to act are now clear, but organizations still struggle with procurement and supply chains as some of the most difficult factors to improve.

Sustainable Procurement explains how procurement professionals can expand on existing tools and approaches to make sustainability a reality. It begins by exploring the current landscape and the need for new approaches before moving onto a step-by-step process for sustainable procurement and supply chain CSR, from reviewing goods and services bought to supply chain mapping and implementing new supplier requirements. Guidance is offered on factors such as specification, use of labour and processes, and how to drive improvements further up the supply chain where there is no direct contractual relationship.

Written by leading procurement expert and best-selling author, Jonathan O'Brien, this practical guide outlines how to carry out a sustainability audit to define objectives and develop a new strategy. It also explains how to monitor results, the governance required to ensure success and how to be ready for changes in the future. Drive positive change with this roadmap to sustainable procurement and responsible supply chains.

Review Quotes

"An essential and highly practical handbook for driving responsible purchasing practices - helps make sense of the complex topic of transforming buying through the lens of sustainability."-- "Anke Ehlers, Managing Director CRI, ALDI SÜD KG"

"As concerns about anthropogenic climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and social impacts have become more common, global organisations both in the public and private sectors have shifted to embrace sustainable practices and policies. However, many organisations have none or under-developed sustainable procurement programmes and thus are ill-equipped to achieve these ambitions. Jonathan O'Brien has provided the much-needed insights and practical tools to help organisations and procurement professionals define and implement sustainable procurement programmes that yield desired outcomes for all stakeholders, whilst simultaneously uplifting the mission of procurement as an enabler of strategic intents."-- "Vusi Fele, Group Chief Procurement Officer, Absa Group"

"Jonathan addresses Procurement's need to work with the supply networks on how they think about Environmental Sustainability. Our need to build our supply networks to be robust to support the environmental challenges is critical."-- "Chris Shanahan, VP Global Sustainability - Supply Chain Operations, Thermo Fisher Scientific"

"Rethinking business practices with corporate social responsibility in mind has become an imperative for all organizations. This provides a huge opportunity for procurement teams to demonstrate new sources of value by managing the business' consumption habits and rebuilding supply chains in line with business CSR strategy. But how? Jonathan O'Brien's Sustainable Procurement provides comprehensive insights into the tools, tactics, and strategies procurement teams can put into practice to drive CSR best practices and measure their results."-- "Philip Ideson, Founder and Managing Director, Art of Procurement"

"Sustainability is an era defining opportunity for procurement. It is the strategic imperative that will turn failed SRM initiatives into successful programmes and will cement action and transformation for the betterment of the function and for the future of our planet. This book acts as a practical roadmap that translates greenwashing and greenwishing into evidence based action. A must read for all procurement and sustainability professionals today."-- "Mark Perera, CEO & Founder, Vizibl"

"Sustainable procurement is a topic on every procurement leader's agenda, but the path forward is often unclear. Jonathan provides the information needed to understand the options and create a compelling path forward."-- "Erik Stavrand, Partner, SEAK LLC"

"Talk of sustainability is not new, but operational progress continues to lag behind aspiration and vision. In this passionately written book, Jonathan O'Brien makes the case for the sustainability imperative, demonstrates why progress cannot be made without coordinated efforts from procurement and supply chain professionals, and turns previously abstract guidance into an actionable, achievable mission."-- "Kelly Barner, Head of Content and Operations, Art of Procurement"

"This is the most insightful - and perhaps more importantly - the most useful book on sustainable procurement. Jonathan O´Brien shows us how to weave category management and SRM together and use it as leverage to enable sustainable supply chains. Sustainable Procurement is undoubtedly one of the most important sources of knowledge for our own transformation to sustainable sourcing."-- "Andreas Takacs, Chief Procurement Officer, Green Cargo AB"

"This will undoubtedly become a core and classic book for practitioners and students - and indeed for anyone interested in the contribution procurement can make to sustainability issues. The practical advice, tools and templates are particularly impressive and extensive and will prove invaluable for many. There is certainly no excuse now for anyone to say "I don't know how to implement sustainable procurement"."-- "Peter Smith, MD, Procurement Excellence Ltd and business author"

About the Author

Jonathan O'Brien is the CEO of Positive Purchasing Ltd, the international procurement and negotiation consultancy and training provider, and is based in Plymouth, UK. With over 30 years of experience, he has helped global organizations increase their purchasing capability through training, education and working directly with practitioners and executive teams. He is also the author of Category Management in Purchasing, Negotiation for Procurement and Supply Chain Professionals, Supplier Relationship Management and The Buyer's Toolkit, all published by Kogan Page.