As more companies engage in sustainable environmental practices, myriad terms, certifications and policies are used to describe them. It can be challenging to decipher what actually has a positive impact on our environment and what might be marketing spin – or “greenwashing.” Here are a few questions you can ask suppliers to confirm that they are practising what they preach.
What is your commitment to environmental sustainability?
Some companies will have an explicit commitment published on their website as a part of their mission and vision statements. Others will be able to provide you with a formal sustainability report or a list of certifications they hold. However, whether or not this information is easily accessible, by asking the question, you can learn more about how sustainability factors in to their daily work – are they just repeating what is on their website or do they sound passionate as they provide you with more details?
What materials do you recycle? How do you dispose of hazardous waste?
It is expected and assumed that most companies will separate the standard paper and containers from their waste. Don’t take this on assumption, as there are currently no regulations to enforce this. By asking, you can confirm that your suppliers meet your own minimum standards, and learn about those who go beyond that. There are waste management providers that can help businesses organize their recycling to include everything from electronics to paint cans to compost materials. Ask if they conduct a waste audit to ensure their products are being disposed of properly.
How do you engage your employees in sustainability?
This comes back to incorporating sustainability into the daily work of their company. And some companies can be quite innovative in how they engage their employees. The responses could be anything from encouraging employees to telecommute or bike to work, to not providing new staff with garbage bins and having a centralized area for recycling and waste disposal, to having an internal sustainability committee that makes recommendations to corporate management. You may also learn that it was the employees who encouraged management to become more sustainable.
How do you track your carbon emissions?
Annual sustainability reports are one method many companies use to publish their carbon emission standards and trends. Regular greenhouse gas audits are one common method used for tracking such details. Make sure suppliers’ emissions are being tracked by a credible independent third party. If your suppliers are claiming to be carbon neutral, look into how they back up this claim and who is providing their offsets, as well as what types of emissions they have decided to include in their offsets. Also note that self-audits and sustainability reports are completely voluntary.
What environmental performance indicators do you track?
There will be some universal indicators for companies to track – energy and water consumption, for example – but generally these will be different for every industry. Ask questions about why they track the indicators they do. And if you can think of something they’re not tracking, ask why not.
Any suppliers making claims of environment sustainability should be more than willing to provide you with greater detail of their practices. By asking questions and using your common sense, you can avoid the trap of greenwashing and ensure your suppliers’ beliefs match your own.
