What are the key criteria for choosing a sustainable supplier?

In addition to what is mentioned in the article, we should be sure that the supplier has a financial stability and strong enough to survive crisis or any force majeure faced.

Ensure the supplier aligns with your business goals, values, and sustainability objectives. Review their policies, certifications, and conduct interviews to assess alignment.

It is important to evaluate the following: Financial stability Consistency of quality Professionalism Capacity Ethical behavior Social responsibility

When selecting a sustainable supplier, two critical criteria to prioritize are performance and quality. Performance ensures that the supplier can consistently meet your organization's needs, whether it's timely delivery, efficient production processes, or reliable customer service. Quality ensures that the products or services provided meet or exceed your standards, minimizing defects and ensuring customer satisfaction. Sustainable suppliers should demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility, ethical labor practices, and social accountability, aligning with your organization's sustainability goals.

Evaluate the supplier’s ability to deliver high-quality products/services on time, within budget, and meeting specifications. Use KPIs like defect rate, delivery time, and customer satisfaction to measure performance.

Pour exemple des projets de développement informatique en mode agile/Scrum, l'innovation et l'amélioration continue sont des facteurs déterminants dans le choix du fournisseur. Dans un environnement où les exigences évoluent rapidement et où la flexibilité est essentielle, il est crucial de collaborer avec des partenaires capables d'apporter des idées novatrices et de s'adapter efficacement aux changements Un fournisseur qui investit dans la recherche et le développement, qui encourage la créativité au sein de son équipe et qui met en ?uvre des pratiques d'amélioration continue sera mieux positionné pour répondre aux défis des projets agiles/Scrum.

Look for suppliers that offer innovative solutions, adapt to market changes, continuously improve processes/services, and collaborate effectively. Assess their R&D activities and commitment to improvement.

Choose suppliers capable of identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks that could impact operations or your relationship. Verify they have contingency plans for emergencies.

Key criteria for selecting a sustainable supplier include their environmental practices, ethical sourcing, commitment to renewable energy, and adherence to regulatory standards. In renewable energy projects, suppliers with green manufacturing processes, recycled materials usage, and certifications like ISO 14001 are preferred. For battery storage, suppliers offering recyclable batteries and eco-friendly disposal solutions align with sustainability goals, ensuring a greener supply chain.

Multiple criteria must be considered: economic, environmental, and social. While economic criteria tend to be more familiar, evaluating environmental and social criteria can be more complex. Although the literature offers numerous environmental criteria, their relevance varies by sector. It is essential to choose criteria that the company can audit. For instance, if the company's core business does not allow auditing of aspects such as waste utilization by suppliers, it is recommended to use third-party environmental management system certifications. These certifications allow evaluating the supplier's environmental performance through official documents and websites, ensuring a more informed and sustainable selection process.