Written by Marijn Overvest | Reviewed by Sjoerd Goedhart
Fact Checked by Ruud Emonds | Our editorial policy
Sustainable Supply Chain Consulting — The Ultimate Guide
Key take-aways
- Sustainable supply chain consulting are firms that find sources of goods and services for a company.
- Aside from sourcing goods and services, consultants help clients navigate manufacturing, inbound and outbound logistics, and supply chain executions.
- There are many available procurement consulting companies that adhere to sustainability standards.
Sustainable supply chain consulting firms are hired by many big businesses to help them with their goals. However, what are these consulting firms?
In this article, we will discuss what sustainable supply chain consulting firms are. We will also show you some consulting firms that will help you achieve sustainability in the supply chain.
Once you are done reading this article, you will have a deeper understanding of these firms and why they are hired by big companies. Additionally, this will allow you to assess your needs in having a sustainable supply chain.
What is Sustainability in the Supply Chain?
Sustainability in the supply chain refers to the efforts of businesses to consider the social and environmental impact of their products through the supply chain.
A sustainable supply chain aims to lessen societal and environmental harm from factors like water consumption, energy usage, and waste production.
Commonly, sustainability initiatives include identifying the source of raw materials, ensuring a safe workplace for employees, and reducing carbon emissions.
In large organizations, the task of demonstrating supply chain sustainability may be delegated to a sustainability officer or supply chain analyst. The job of these officers may involve qualifying new suppliers, ensuring quality performance, and supporting supplier diversity policies.
What is Sustainable Supply Chain Consulting?
Sustainable supply chain consulting are firms that find sources of materials or services when companies cannot find them for their own needs. Of course, these sourced materials or services have less impact on the environment.
The supply chain consultants of the firm help their clients to navigate change across a range of areas. This includes manufacturing, inbound and outbound logistics, and supply chain executions.
Additionally, these changes comply with sustainability which aims to reduce the impact of their processes on the environment and society.
Sustainable Procurement Consulting Companies
Supply chain impacts account for more than 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. Due to this, chief procurement officers are now pressured to take on sustainability initiatives and ensure ethical and sustainable procurement.
If you do not know where to start your journey to sustainability, do not worry, we are here for you. The following is the list of supply chain consulting companies that will help you achieve sustainability:
1. Procura Consulting
Procura Consulting is known for procurement cost reduction. It offers a sustainable procurement impact assessment to identify spend categories with the most opportunity and risk.
Additionally, Procura Consulting tailors recommendations to an organization’s sustainability objectives.
2. Sphera
Sphera provides ESG performance and risk management software, data, and consulting services. It supports 46 languages, has more than a hundred sustainability experts working in its firm, and succeeded in handling thousands of compliance actions.
Sphera focuses on the environment, health, safety, and sustainability. Due to this, it was able to generate action plans targeting 20% emissions reduction savings.
3. BSR
BSR works with over 250+ companies, civil partners, and government agencies to develop ambitious business strategies.
Its Procurement Leadership Group helps clients integrate sustainability criteria into their procurement practices.
The Sustainable Future Labs of BSR help companies identify emerging issues early. Thus, developing a more sustainable and resilient supply chain.
4. Reeve Consulting
Reeve Consulting advises companies at any stage of sustainable procurement. It played a key role in ESG reporting programs for the 2010 and 2014 Paralympic and Olympic Games, the 2015 Canada Winter games, and the 2018 Special Olympics USA games.
5. McKinsey & Company
Since 2018, McKinsey & Company has offset 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions. It believes that sophisticated and well-thought-out procurement practices can help companies decrease their environmental impact and control costs.
Currently, McKinsey & Company works with over 50 of the world’s largest airlines and hotel groups to reduce their carbon emissions.
6. Deloitte
Deloitte operates in 102 cities around the world and consults nearly 90% of the world’s Fortune 500 companies. By 2025, it aims to ensure that suppliers are outperforming the ethical standards of compliance.
Deloitte has helped define many of the sustainable frameworks and guidelines that have become fundamental in global businesses.
Deloitte’s Sustainability & Climate capabilities support clients as they reconstruct their strategies, embed sustainability into their operations, and help them speed up the transformation of their organizations and value chains.
7. Bain & Company
Bain & Company helps companies to develop sourcing strategies for a sustainable future.
It operates across 61 offices in 38 countries and has completed thousands of procurement projects that reduced purchasing costs by 8 to 12%. By 2030, it intends to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.
It partners with more than 330 sustainability experts which helps clients approach sustainability from a realistic perspective.
8. Efficio
Efficio is the world’s largest procurement consulting firm. It operates from 10 offices in North America, Europe, and the Middle East to initiate sustainable procurement practices.
The latest update of Efficio is its eFlow. It is a technology platform that automates data insights and creates strong supplier relationships.
Conclusion
Sustainable supply chain consulting firms play a crucial role in helping large businesses achieve their sustainability goals. This article serves as the ultimate guide to understanding these consulting firms, their significance, and the top players in the field. By exploring the provided information, readers gain insights into the importance of sustainability in the supply chain, the role of consulting firms, and the key players shaping the industry.
Frequentlyasked questions
What is sustainability in supply chain consulting?
Sustainable supply chain consulting are firms that find sources of materials or services for a company that has a lesser impact on the environment and society.
What is a sustainable supply chain?
A sustainable supply chain refers to the actions of businesses to consider the social and environmental impact of their products through the supply chain.
What is a supply chain consultant?
A supply chain assistant helps companies to navigate changes across the areas to improve the supply chain processes and procedures.
About the author
My name is Marijn Overvest, I’m the founder of Procurement Tactics. I have a deep passion for procurement, and I’ve upskilled over 200 procurement teams from all over the world. When I’m not working, I love running and cycling.
