How can you negotiate for better environmental and social responsibility measures with vendors?

1 Assess your vendors

Before you start negotiating, you need to assess your current and potential vendors based on their ESR performance. You can use various tools and frameworks, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), or the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, to evaluate how your vendors manage their environmental and social impacts. You can also ask your vendors to provide you with their ESR policies, reports, certifications, or audits, and compare them with your own standards and expectations.

2 Define your objectives

Once you have assessed your vendors, you need to define your objectives for the negotiation. What are the specific ESR measures that you want your vendors to implement or improve? How do they align with your own ESR goals and values? How do they benefit both parties in terms of reputation, efficiency, innovation, or risk reduction? You should prioritize your objectives based on their importance, feasibility, and urgency, and be prepared to explain the rationale and evidence behind them.

3 Communicate clearly and respectfully

When you approach your vendors for the negotiation, you should communicate clearly and respectfully about your ESR objectives and expectations. You should avoid making demands or ultimatums, and instead focus on building trust and rapport. You should also listen to your vendors' perspectives and concerns, and acknowledge their challenges and constraints. You should aim to create a dialogue that is collaborative and constructive, and that emphasizes the mutual benefits and opportunities of improving ESR performance.