It is essential to prioritize sustainability in all purchasing processes as every purchase has an environmental impact. Therefore, all personnel within the purchasing department should incorporate sustainability principles from the beginning to the end of the procurement functions.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
It is important for sustainability efforts to consider the entire life cycle of a product. A life cycle assessment (LCA) involves analyzing the environmental and human impacts of a product, process, or service from start to finish, including energy and material inputs and outputs. This process, also known as cradle-to-grave analysis, examines everything from raw material extraction to disposal or recycling.
LCA promotes responsible decision-making among supply chain partners by discouraging the transfer of environmental issues from one stage of the supply chain life cycle to another. For instance, reducing the amount of packaging used for food products to lessen weight may result in quicker spoilage, increased waste, and the need for more products to compensate for spoiled food.