What price sustainability?

1 December 2021

Jim Longstaff made contact the other day to relate an experience that made him wonder whether some customers might change their procurement habits in future. 

The chairman of Coventry-based Clements Plant & Access Hire had been somewhat bemused by an enquiry he had received. 

“A large engineering firm that is a long-established customer needed a trailer mounted boom for four weeks. However, on ringing the company my contact told me that their team of professional buyers, located in a central office many miles away, were also talking to two of our competitors. 

“Now, I realise that my company does not have a God-given right to their business and everything has to be commercially viable, but the job was on our doorstep in Coventry while the alternative suppliers are 33.4 and 43.2 miles from the site respectively. 

“My question is: how long will it be before carbon footprint impact is routinely taken into consideration in the purchasing process? 

“Wherever practical, our company likes to source goods and services locally to help the community. And we reduce our carbon footprint at the same time. 

“It just concerns me that some big organisations who say they prioritise their CSR (corporate social responsibility) obligations are spending umpteen man hours talking to different suppliers just to save ten quid here or there – while not exactly enhancing their green credentials.” 

It’s a fair point. Obviously a company is often asked to supply equipment beyond its normal area and, indeed, will actively try to grow its coverage. However, there must come a point where it becomes uneconomical. 

This is particularly so at the moment with fuel prices at record levels. And some business commentators suggest that this will become the norm, given the Bank of England’s surprising tolerance of high inflation and the drive (no pun intended) to encourage the adoption of fossil-free alternatives. 

Perhaps as sustainability rises up the business agenda, customers will give higher priority to local procurement and their overall carbon footprint. Or will they skirt round the issue in the short term through offsetting initiatives like tree planting? 

What do you think? 

Photo: RAC

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