What can one person working in procurement really do to change ‘buying culture’ in a vastly unequal world?

Quite a lot, actually.

What’s going on in your supply chain, and what can you do about it? You may have heard about fairtrade, but what about unfair trade?

Good value and value for procurement investments isn’t about cheapest costs – the price is almost always paid by someone (and somewhere) else.

Support human rights for all workers, respect the planet. Choose Sustainable Procurement.

#ChooseSustainableProcurement

• Check out the Sustainable Procurement guidance standard ISO 20400 for what your organisation can do – from local council to schools network, public agency or transnational business. The guidance can support you to examine your buying culture’; know your supply chain; think strategically about the life cycle; get buy-in from senior management.
• Remember: How you conduct your business will result in human rights fulfilled and achieved, or denied.
• Check out the many certification schemes available to support better outcomes on environmental, social and governance issues such as Forest Stewardship Council timber-based products (from sustainably managed forests); the EU conflict minerals regulation (live from January 2021) which prevents conflict minerals and metals from being exported to the EU that can find their way into consumer and business goods such as mobile phones, cars and jewellery; and Fairtrade terms for producers and workers around the world.
• This graphic posters series, developed by designer Ray O’Sullivan, is inspired by heated discussions and debate in financial justice workshops with community co-op members in Bray and Dublin with Common Ground Bray and Dublin Food Co-op, of business studies teachers and trade unionists, of dramatists and human rights campaigners from the Comhlámh Trade Justice Group to create fairer, just and more transparent supply chains in our neighbourhoods and communities – local and transnational ones.

1. Tackle Modern Slavery and Break Child Labour in Supply Chains

Download: poster 1.

2. Ending the Gender Pay Gap Starts With You

Download: poster 2.

3. Resist Fast Fashion and Disposable Electronics

Download: poster 3.

If you work in a procurement role you can avail of a free set of the posters for your wall. Get in touch to order yours (email: tony[at]8020.ie)

If you plan on using the posters keep us posted so we map how far the posters reach, or for an bespoke training and education workshop requests.

And remember, choose sustainable procurement procedures and processes TODAY.

For more, check out our work on financial justice issues in the Catch Them If You Can project.

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About the Citizens for Financial Justice initiative

80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World is part of the EU-wide initiative Citizens for Financial Justice.

Citizens for Financial Justice is a diverse group of European partners – from local grassroots groups to large international organisations – with a shared vision of informing and connecting citizens to act together to make the global finance system work better for everybody.

CfFJ aims to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by mobilising EU citizens to support effective financing for development (FfD).

Our funding

Citizens for Financial Justice is part funded by the European Union’s DEAR programme (Development Education and Awareness Raising).

The Catch Them If You Can project is produced with the financial support of the European Union and Irish Aid. It is the sole responsibility of 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.