How can you start sustainable purchasing today?

When many organizations in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area would opt for a sustainable alternative for their facility procurement and deliveries, we would collectively make a huge impact. Think of green electricity, circular office furniture, vegetarian catering and deliveries by electric cargo bike.

Check your impact

As a facility purchaser, you may already be doing very well with your choices for services and products that have the smallest possible ecological footprint. The Checklist Maatschappelijk Verantwoord Inkopen (Socially Responsible Procurement – in Dutch only) helps you to quickly identify whether you are making an impact with your facility procurement. You can also see which product categories will be on the purchasing calendar in the near future. Handy to discuss with colleagues whether your purchasing is on the right track. The Checklist is based on PIANOo’s criteria . They have discussed these criteria extensively with buyers and market parties, so that they are realistic and feasible.

Room for improvement

Is there still room for improvement? Then check out these steps:

1. Ask your regular suppliers to provide sustainable products and services. This way you maintain the trusted relationship and your supplier can grow with you.
2. You can also look for new suppliers who already offer such a product or service. In this way you open yourself up to new players who may be able to supply a more innovative or sustainable product.
3. It may be that what you want doesn’t exist yet. Innovation remains necessary to arrive at a good solution. That requires a different way of asking questions, an active attitude and a different role for you. Maybe you will become a launching customer or you are organizing an (ideas) competition or you are looking for ideal collaboration partners. Tip: place a request on amsterdamsmartcity.com and a worldwide community will think along with you.

Don’t want to wait until your own supplier is ready? Then you start looking for a new supplier. But where?

Many buyers find selecting new suppliers a difficult and time-consuming task. That is why we have listed a number of interesting websites for you.

• The Dutch Consumers’ Association, Greenpeace, Natuur & Milieu and WISE publish a list of the greenest energy suppliers every year.
• At Inside Inside you can sustainably put together your (office) interior.
• Do you want to transport something within the city ? Then take a look at these providers.
• You can easily book an electric taxi via Izoof
• You can find a vegetarian or vegan caterer via VeganWiki.
• Companies that balance purpose and profit can become B-corp.
• The provincial nature and environmental federations have a joint platform with a Dutch circular and sustainable range of products and services (B2B and also for consumers).
• The Cradle to Cradle Institute has already certified many international brands.
• In response to the climate agreement, the acceleration house Nederland Circulair has created an online platform containing a list of no less than 50 best practices .
• Are you in the Kennemerland region? The municipality of Haarlem and the Stadsgarage have set up kennemerinkoopplatform.nl, which offers an overview of the regional range of impact entrepreneurs.
• Buy Social is a platform where you can find the offer of social enterprises that make a socially responsible impact first, and where you can also ask purchasing questions to the underlying network.

Do you want to make more impact in your own environment?

• Check out our tips and tools to help you get started .
• Go to www.ikwilcirculairinkopen.nl for much more information.
• Goede Waar is for consumers who want to buy sustainably. Including a nice overview of quality marks. Check whether your favorite clothing brand is sustainable.
• You will find the most sustainable supplier per category on the sustainable brands index. Ranging from banks and insurance companies to restaurant chains and holiday parks.
• Good on You gives international fashion brands a sustainability ranking.

We will update this list regularly. Mail your additions to Annelies van der Stoep, referencing ‘High Impact Procurement tips and tools’.