'Green procurement' is a process through which a business considers the environmental impact of the goods and services it buys - alongside financial value. A core part of sustainable procurement is taking into account the whole life cycle cost and environmental impact of a product (e.g. the impacts of production, distribution, use and disposal). For example - a computer may be cheap to purchase but over its life time cost more as it is less efficient to run and needs replacing sooner. To be most effective sustainable procurement considerations should be addressed from the earliest stages of the purchasing process - and should question whether something must be purchased at all!

Green procurement is a really effective method for highlighting environmental issues within an organisation - and also driving environmental improvement in the supply chain. By purchasing prudently, organisations can reduce waste and pollution, save materials, energy and money, and encourage sustainable patterns of behaviour.

The unsustainable purchase of products (e.g. timber, travel) also has a high reputational risk and can be seen by stakeholders as unacceptable. Linked to this, sustainable procurement policies can also help organisations comply with environmental and social legislation.

There is a wealth of information on the internet about 'green' or 'sustainable' procurement. But as a starting point you might like to consider doing the following:

• Undertake a carbon footprint of your activities and purchases to see what is significant
• Identify critical procurement categories for action, using a risk-based approach
• Develop a sustainable procurement policy with support from senior management
• Develop sustainable procurement targets to enable monitoring
• Be transparent about the procurement policy with external parties
• Assign individuals responsible for examining how future contracts can be made more sustainable
• Remove barriers to procuring sustainably e.g. encourage whole life costing
• Develop dialogue with key suppliers and support them providing more sustainable products
• All invitations to tender should clearly state the sustainable procurement policy

Useful websites

Buying Solutions
http://www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk/products/
Government list of environmentally approved suppliers of over 500,000 products

Sustainable Product Directory
http://www.greenprocurementcodedirectory.co.uk/product/product_directory.asp
A comprehensive list of suppliers of sustainable products, recycled products and sustainable services

Ethical Superstore.com
http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/category/stationery-and-office/
A useful website with a variety of goods and services suitable for smaller businesses and the domestic market