Sustainability and corporate social responsibility has dropped to the bottom of the procurement agenda when it comes to choosing a supplier, according to a study by Office Depot. But that is likely to change in a couple of years.
Matt Smith, head of procurement at Office Depot said: “When choosing a supplier, there are a number of criteria that have to be met and considered, but it is surprising to see how low sustainability ranked when it is expected to grow to significant importance within a couple of years.
“Cost reduction and greater efficiency in the supply chain are the biggest challenges that need to be overcome and they are the key drivers for decision making in the current climate.”
The study found that on one per cent of company representatives responsible for procuring goods and services thought sustainability was most important while 20 per cent thought it was least important.
But four out of five agreed that it would be slightly or significantly more important over the next two years.
