Managing sustainable purchasing

Purchasing officers are given responsibilities toward the environmental and social implications of the company's activities so that those considerations enter into the officers' management of their specific purchasing areas. Thus, CSR issues are covered in Veolia Environnement's purchasing guidelines, actions to raise awareness take place regularly and training modules are offered.

Purchasing officers' involvement in sustainable development issues motivates them to establish responsible purchasing practices. This means that they are more likely to take environmental certification, eco-design or total cost of ownership (TCO) into account in managing their purchases. Similarly, the purchasing officers also promote responsible practices in contract users, for example by encouraging better consumption habits, or by rewarding paperless orders or fewer deliveries.

Purchasing agents make sure that suppliers share the company's position on CSR and that the associated risks are managed throughout the process, from supplier selection to monitoring relations with the supplier. Procedures for supplier evaluation and audits are used to measure suppliers' CSR performance and implement improvement plans where necessary.