Sustainability Learning in Procurement

How Integrating Sustainability in Procurement Drives Efficiency and Competitive Advantage

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, it has become a key differentiator for organizations seeking to drive positive impact and ensure long-term success. Organizations can surpass compliance, innovate, and secure a competitive advantage by integrating sustainability into their procurement strategies, ultimately enhancing efficiency and resilience in their supply chains. This results in a stronger, more resilient business that is better equipped to face the challenges of today's dynamic business environment. Clients gain access to expertise and structured methodologies that can lead to a successful and sustainable transformation in procurement. We offer various Sustainability Learning formats in Procurement starting from single trainings (virtual, live or hybrid) to a modular hybrid sustainability learning journey of several months up to a transformation approach to embed sustainable practices aligned with our H&Z change & communication framework.

Sustainability Learning in procurement is structured around three key stages based on the maturity level and learning objectives: Comply, Compete, and Lead. Each stage is carefully crafted to elevate the participants' understanding, application, and innovation skills in sustainability within procurement functions.

1. Comply - Know about & Understand 

At the base level, the focus is on building a general awareness of the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts relevant to procurement. This stage aims to ensure participants understand the fundamentals of sustainability, including specific legislation affecting procurement. It lays the groundwork for procurement professionals to navigate and adhere to sustainability regulations confidently. 

2. Compete - Apply & Perform 

Moving to the intermediate level, participants engage more deeply with the role of procurement in sustainability, focusing on practical aspects such as CO2 footprint calculation and the implementation of sustainable practices. This stage equips procurement professionals to interpret data, make informed decisions, and identify new competitive levers, enabling them to contribute actively to their organization's sustainability objectives. 

3. Lead - Guide & Innovate 

At the advanced level, the program shifts towards ecosystem engagement and innovation. Participants learn to realize value through collaboration with suppliers, building an internal cross-functional network of experts focused on joint innovation. This stage is about leading change, where procurement acts as a catalyst for sustainable innovation within the supply chain, fostering a culture of collaboration and forward-thinking. 

Our Sustainability Learning formats in Procurement differ from the organizational demand

We offer single, customized trainings on various topics which can be facilitated as virtual live online training, live classroom training or as a hybrid mix. Here we tackle client-specific challenges based on their processes, ESG tools and procurement challenges such as C02 footprint calculation or CO2 argumentation in negotiations. You will gain valuable insights into sustainable sourcing, ethical supply chain management, and environmental responsibility. Our expert instructors will guide you through practical case studies and real-world examples to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions that benefit both your organization and the planet. 

If clients strongly focus on engaging its procurement function providing not only ESG insights in procurement but also empowering professionals to embed sustainability into their practices effectively we recommend a modular and hybrid learning journey. We can vary in the learning topics, learning formats, include guest speakers and also enable the employees in other related and relevant competencies, e.g. AI in learning or Design Thinking approaches.

For some clients the most beneficial approach is a comprehensive sustainability communication and learning journey as an integral part of the transformation approach to embed sustainable practices. With this approach we challenge and co-create with the client their case for change, sense of urgency and vision. After that we empower employees to act on the vision and plan the effort before we change mindset and certain behaviours, processes, culture and values. Finally, we aim to solidify the changes made by making them a permanent part of procurement practices creating stability through internalizing, institutionalizing and optimizing the transformation.