Sustainable Procurement Policy - Does it Include Office Products from a B Corp?

Blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company
May 24, 2011 10:43 AM ET

Taiga Company blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Compa…

At the PEW Center for Climate Change's Energy Efficiency Conference held in Chicago last April, one of the plenary session speakers stated a remarkable statistic.  Only 8% of what you DO is sustainable -- the other 92% is in the supply chain -- in other words, what you BUY. 

Buying green products matters. "Nearly every large corporation, and many smaller ones, has instituted a range of programs to reduce or eliminate wasteful, polluting, and toxic practices. Many of their goals are bold — to achieve zero waste, closed-loop manufacturing, Cradle-to-Cradle products, or carbon-neutral operations."  While many programs are large scale focused with higher priority and visibility, it's easy to overlook the day to day purchases of a business and where those purchases are actually made that can make an impact on a corporate sustainability plan. 
 
Take for instance, office supplies.  Every business has office supplies but the material types and products that you purchase along with who you buy it from can contribute to organizations sustainable business strategies.   Researching product is easy but how do you identify a credible sustainable business from a business pledging to be one?  Click here to find out.

 

Home to one third of the earth's trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company's vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the "oxygen for your business".