Does your organisation have ESG targets to achieve? Are you looking to increase your sustainable procurement? We spoke to Anthony Donjerkovic, Health, Hygiene & Safety Specialist, to explain more about how your organisation can become more sustainable through smart and green procurement practices.
What is GECA certification?
“Products that have received the certification from Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) are deemed environmentally preferable product. GECA Certified products must meet the independent criteria set out by GECA to ensure products that are certified meet a high standard of environmental responsibility1,” says Anthony.
How can procurement contribute to organisational ESG goals?
1. Make green purchasing decisions
“If one of your ESG goals is to buy more sustainable products to reduce your environmental impact, switching to GECA certified products is an easy way to achieve this. The Northfork brand offers a range of options from small pack formats to bulk supplies for large facilities. The GECA certification gives you the peace of mind that comes from credible science backed third-party certifications,” explains Anthony.
2. Manage risk
“Procurement is ideally placed to help organisations manage the risk of modern slavery in the supply chain. Review your ethical sourcing procedures and ensure you have the right governance in place. Work with trusted partners to help you achieve this,” says Anthony.
3. Increase supplier collaboration
Communicate with your suppliers about the direction your organisation has decided to take on ESG so they can support you with these goals.
“Ask for their advice on your targets. If your goal is to divert more waste to recycling, investigate how products are packaged and ask for more packaging that can be recycled. Much of the Northfork range, for example, comes in plastic containers which can be recycled. If your goal is to reduce carbon emissions, buy in bulk or bulk pack sizes for less frequent deliveries to reduce the carbon cost associated with road miles.
It’s always a good idea to ask your suppliers how materials have been sourced and conduct research to find suppliers with an environmental approach to their services and products,” he continues.
4. Buy local
“Buying products manufactured in Australia, like Northfork, helps to create jobs in Australia and fuel the local economy. Buying locally also reduces the carbon emissions associated with international shipping,” says Anthony.
To make it even easier to be green, Winc is offering a limited time offer on Northfork cleaning products. Hurry, offer ends 30 November. If you would like support on how to adopt Northfork into your current facilities management practices, our Health, Hygiene & Safety team would be delighted to assist. You can reach them at facilities.hub@winc.com.au.
References:
1Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA), ‘About Us’, <https://geca.eco/about-us/>
