Green supply chains offer strategic business imperatives that are in the interests of executives, customers and shareholders, experts have argued.
Ariba senior manager Kris Coly and engineering project manager David Fertel have argued in article published on My-ESM.com that green sourcing is required by organisations to meet a new era of customers needs.
Among the tips outlined in the article, businesses are initially advised to plan their green efforts through appointed sustainability officers after gaining a full understanding of their organisation's spending, supply chain and consumption patterns.
Merging green priorities into existing sourcing and procurement processes is a procedure recommended by the Ariba officials, in addition to up-to-date knowledge on new materials, technologies and global sustainability regulations.
"By setting clear expectations of your supply base during the sourcing process and proactively monitoring compliance/progress, you can quickly improve your sustainability performance," the article stated.
Wal-Mart has operated a sustainability index since April 2007, which tracks the proportion of US consumers purchasing its environmentally-friendly retail products.
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