This time last year I was beavering away writing the Sustainability Chapter of the new ‘Innovation in Procurement and Supply’ textbook for the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS). I must say I’m not the best at writing to someone else’s structure (my mother used to say I was ‘thran’), but I’m pleased with the result.

More importantly, I’m delighted that CIPS saw fit to make a full third of the textbook about Sustainability. That’s another clear signal as to the way the world is going.

It is also crucial as the bulk of most organisation’s footprint (typically 60%+) is in their supply chain. It also becomes a way of shaping the economy – if you start ordering materials from sustainable sources, services rather than products or energy from renewable generation, then it makes the global economy that tiny bit greener for everyone. You can’t say better than that!

Don’t forget to check out my own book: Building A Sustainable Supply Chain.