From procurement strategy to supplier partnerships – effective, cost-efficient, and embedded for the long term.
Supply chain decarbonisation is currently one of the biggest challenges in climate management. Complex supply chains, a wide range of purchased products, and high cost and quality pressure make implementation in procurement particularly difficult.
Companies that want to embed climate targets in procurement need to act on three levels: strategic, operational, and structural. Strategically, this means connecting corporate and climate goals and making clear decisions and assigning responsibilities that consider CO_2 alongside cost. Operationally, emissions become part of day-to-day work – for example through CO_2 criteria in tenders, award decisions, and supplier management. To make this work long term, companies need robust data, pragmatic tools, and teams who can implement the topic in everyday operations. Sustainable supports you in identifying reduction levers, engaging suppliers, and integrating climate targets into existing decision-making processes.
Procurement shapes materials, suppliers, and sourcing models every day. This is where the biggest levers sit to reduce emissions effectively and turn sustainability into value creation.
Sustainable procurement only works long term if it is not a separate process, but integrated directly into existing procurement workflows. That is why we embed climate criteria into day-to-day processes – from tenders and supplier selection through to ongoing collaboration.
At the same time, cost, quality, and delivery performance must continue to meet requirements. The goal is to achieve better outcomes through existing processes without increasing effort. This is how procurement processes enable climate targets in everyday business.
Many companies have large amounts of data, but make limited use of it for effective emissions management. We help you structure the relevant information and present it in a way that is easy to use. This creates transparency on where emissions occur and where the biggest levers sit. Clear KPIs make progress visible and support better decisions. This makes decarbonisation in procurement measurable and manageable in day-to-day work.
In the long run, supply chain emissions can only be reduced together with suppliers. We focus on collaboration rather than simply setting requirements. We support you in defining clear expectations and developing realistic next steps together. This can range from simple exchange formats to targeted development measures. The goal is a partnership-based approach that reduces emissions while strengthening supplier relationships over time.
Decarbonisation often fails because procurement, sustainability, and finance do not work closely enough together. We help you define clear roles and simple decision pathways. This resolves trade-offs faster and supports solution-oriented decisions. It increases implementation speed and ensures strategic goals translate into concrete work in daily operations.
Finding lower-emission solutions often requires new approaches to materials, supply models, and technologies. We help you identify these opportunities and embed them into your sourcing strategy – for example through our Sustainovation approach. This not only leads to more climate-friendly solutions, but often also delivers practical procurement benefits. At the same time, your organisation becomes more resilient to regulatory, economic, and climate-related risks.
Your long-term gain: What you stand to gain
Our Scope 3 planning workshop creates a shared starting point to define ambition, maturity, and the next implementation steps. Building on this, we develop a Target Operating Model that connects strategy, governance, and procurement processes. Complementary Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) strategies and data-driven steering enable consistent prioritisation of initiatives and embed decarbonisation within existing management structures for the long term.
Identified action areas from the planning workshop are translated into concrete supplier programmes and innovation initiatives. Formats such as Sustainovation support the joint development of lower-emission solutions, while initiatives such as Together for Sustainability provide access to standards, harmonised requirements, and robust PCF data.
This turns individual initiatives into a scalable transformation approach across the entire supply chain. Companies that embed climate targets firmly in procurement secure long-term market share, strengthen resilience, and position themselves as reliable partners for customers and investors.
