For organizations, establishing a dependable method of measuring sustainability in procurement can pose a challenge, particularly without a widespread acceptance of the metrics. Certain measures can be quantifiable through cost savings or percentage of improvement or reduction, while others cannot. For instance, social responsibility criteria such as fair trade and suitable working conditions can be tricky to assess if there are no measurable benchmarks.
Below are a few criteria that may be used to measure whether the implementation of the sustainable procurement initiative has been successful:
1. Inclusion of standardized, sustainable materials, and products in product specifications
2. Increased procurement spend with minority-owned businesses
3. Measured reductions in waste, pollution, and use of non-renewable resources
4. Measured improvements in reuse, recycling, and use of renewable resources
5. Increased use of reusable packaging
6. Improved inbound transportation savings and fuel economy
7. Percent of employees trained in sustainability principles
8. Increased supplier adherence to safe working conditions
9. Organizational reputation for sustainability within the supply chain