“Enact Sustainability Strategies, based in Sweden and The Netherlands, teams up with ISOS Group to expand its IIRC approved integrated reporting trainings in the United States and Kenya.”
“Approved by the IIRC, both one- and two-day trainings will be offered. To celebrate the partnership, representatives of both firms will ignite the U.S. market by co-delivering a training in New York City the first quarter of 2019.”
I will be involved in the Integrated Reporting training.
At the Sustainable Brands New Metrics ’18 in Philadelphia last month, I spoke about sustainable procurement. In particular, I discussed Sustainable Procurement ISO 20400.
Philadelphia City Hall
Few people in the audience knew of the relatively new Sustainable Procurement ISO 20400 standard. As a result, I want to spread the word!
Why is a sustainable procurement standard so important? Sustainable procurement reduces risks associated with negative impacts (e.g., human rights, pollution) in your supply chain. It can highlight opportunities to prevent supply disruptions and foster communications with vendors. Your reputation and leadership can be improved by establishing sustainable purchasing policies.
Whether you work for a for-profit, nonprofit, or government agency, your organization buys things. Some organizations buy more than others and focus on short-term cost reductions. Attending to your purchasing beyond the concern for short-term costs matters. You may say you do not manufacture products but provide only services. Purchasing involves so much more than just raw material purchases because it includes buildings, janitorial supplies, equipment, and office supplies.
Does your organization need a systematic approach to sustainable procurement policies? Do you evaluate human rights and ethical behavior in selecting a supplier? How do you get top management to support sustainable procurement? How do you start or how do you improve your approach? Find answers to these questions in ISO 20400.
It is not a requirements standard but a set of guidelines for incorporating sustainability into an organization’s purchasing processes. Any organization of any size can use this. The topic areas include:
Fundamentals – core principles of sustainability and sustainable procurement
Policy and strategy – ways of adapting sustainability and sustainable procurement into policy and procurement context
Organization – conditions (e.g., governance, leadership, personnel, and engagement) needed for sustainable procurement
Procurement – process example provided to help create greater sustainability in supply chain
This past month I have been busy delivering ISOSGroup GRI Standards Training in Seattle and Chicago.
Linda Glasier, an excellent trainer, and I delivered a course on GRI Standards at the Recology Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Seattle. The participants represented companies in the recycling, mining, cruise ship, oil extraction, and public transit sectors. Their engagement in the training and discussion from their diverse experiences resulted in rewarding sessions for all. You may recall from a prior post, I wrote about being hosted by Recology at their headquarters in San Francisco.
At the Recology MRF, we toured the Seattle facility where paper, plastic, and metals are separated to be recycled. The facility is quite impressive.
Recology MRF
Recology MRF Sorting Process
In Chicago, Burson Marsteller hosted the GRI Standards training at their office in the Merchandise Mart. At this session, participants represented consulting, nonprofit, mining, and technology organizations. Because of their engagement and great questions, we had thorough discussions about the application the GRI Standards! As you can see from the picture below, we had a great view.
View of Chicago street from Merchandise Mart
I enjoy all these trainings and hope that you can join in future events. If you need to learn about GRI Standards, CDP, or SDGs, the ISOSGroup offers courses in San Diego December 3-7, 2018. Take a look at the schedule to see what fits your needs.
Last week I was working with the ISOSGroup delivering sustainability training in San Francisco. During this 3 day session, we covered the GRI Standards, the CDP Climate Change Program, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was a great training hosted by Recology at their corporate headquarters. The group that we trained was as amazing as the view. There were people from Recology and other companies along with students from the Presidio Graduate School.
View of San Francisco Bay
These trainings are meeting the increased demand for information about organizations’ economic, environmental, and social risks. The GRI Standards provides organizations with the tool to better manage these risks. Do you have an interest in learning more about the GRI Standards? You are in luck because ISOSGroup has two scheduled trainings in October. I will be training in Seattle and Chicago for the next two events.
Although I have been away from my blog this summer, I have been encountering interesting things. One in particular is a new business that incorporates sambal and sustainability. Sambal is a hot sauce commonly used in Indonesia and Malaysia. Years ago, I had the good fortune to try sambal while on a faculty exchange program on the island of Java, Indonesia. Now I have found an authentic source for sambal in the U.S.
Kick Gourmet Foods has the best sambal I have tasted since I left Indonesia. If you like “spicy” food with heat and flavor, you will like this!
KICK Sambal
This company has incorporated the three pillars of sustainability in its business credo. If you purchase the gift box order, you get a wooden box that holds the jars; and you can re-use the box! As you can see below, I turned the box into a jewelry holder. I lined the bottom with a piece of scrap velvet cloth.
