How do you tell suppliers about your sustainability requirements?

1 Assess your needs

Before you approach your suppliers, you need to have a clear idea of what your sustainability requirements are and why they matter to your business. You can use a framework such as the triple bottom line (TBL) to assess your environmental, social and economic impacts and identify your priorities and goals. You can also benchmark your performance against industry standards and best practices, such as the ISO 14000 series for environmental management or the UN Global Compact for human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.

2 Choose your suppliers

Once you have defined your sustainability requirements, you need to select your suppliers based on their alignment with your values and expectations. You can use various tools and methods to evaluate your potential suppliers, such as questionnaires, audits, certifications, ratings or references. You can also look for suppliers who have already demonstrated their commitment to sustainability, such as those who have joined initiatives like the Sustainable Apparel Coalition or the Responsible Business Alliance.

3 Communicate your requirements

After you have chosen your suppliers, you need to communicate your sustainability requirements clearly and consistently. You can use different channels and formats, such as contracts, codes of conduct, policies, guidelines or training sessions. You should also explain the rationale and benefits of your requirements, such as reducing costs, risks and waste, improving quality and reputation, or meeting customer and stakeholder expectations. You should also make sure that your requirements are realistic, measurable and achievable, and that you provide feedback and support to your suppliers.

4 Collaborate with your suppliers

Telling your suppliers about your sustainability requirements is not enough. You also need to collaborate with them to ensure that they comply with your standards and improve their performance. You can use various strategies and tools to monitor and verify your suppliers' actions and results, such as reports, audits, inspections, indicators or surveys. You can also recognize and reward your suppliers for their achievements, such as by giving them incentives, recognition or preference. You can also engage in dialogue and partnership with your suppliers to address challenges and opportunities, share best practices and innovations, or co-create solutions.

5 Review and improve

Finally, you need to review and improve your sustainability requirements and your supplier relationships on a regular basis. You can use feedback from your suppliers, customers, employees and other stakeholders to evaluate your impact and progress, and identify areas for improvement. You can also use tools such as the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle or the SMART criteria to set and review your objectives and actions. You should also be open to learning and adapting to changing needs and expectations, and to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?