19th May 2011, ProcServe, a leading provider of eProcurement solutions, today announced that they have partnered with Planet Positive, an international environmental certification organisation, to promote lower emissions in the supply chain.

According to DEFRA, “Good procurement is sustainable procurement”, and “sustainable procurement is not simply about buying green products – although that is important. It’s also about ensuring energy and resource efficiency as well as long term cost effectiveness.”

Sustainable procurement is increasingly important in the public sector. All UK central government departments and their related organisations will need to meet the minimum mandatory specifications in the recently announced Government Buying Standards[1].  Following the standards will help central departments reach their target to reduce CO2 emissions by 10% this year and drive the development of the Green economy. However, a recent survey conducted by ProcServe and Planet Positive indicates that 69% of suppliers are unaware of the new Government Buying Standards.

ProcServe has over 12,000 suppliers on the trading network many of whom are keen to demonstrate their environmental credentials to buyers and the wider community. In future they will have the opportunity to engage with Planet Positive to measure and reduce their carbon footprint and receive information on how to make sustainability good for their business. They will be able to publicise their Planet Positive certification to buyers on the ProcServe Trading Network.

 By providing this new optional service, Planet Positive and ProcServe hope to support supplier organisations keen to demonstrate ‘green’ best practices.  

Planet Positive provides an environmental certification for business, products, services and people based on best practice protocol for carbon measurement, reduction and reporting. The certification is based on the internationally recognised Planet Positive Protocol which brings together sustainability methodologies from around the world. The protocol is administered by an independent Technical Committee of academics and experts to ensure that it is always at the forefront of best practice.

“Planet Positive is about taking action. We are delighted to partner with ProcServe and offer our sustainability services to their registered supplier organisations. By bringing together the ProcServe Trading Network, and the Planet Positive certification process we will encourage organisations, large and small, to work together to lower their carbon footprints and improve their environmental performance,” explains Martin Goodman, Executive Chairman of Planet Positive.

Jim Knox, CEO of ProcServe, commented:  “ProcServe is pleased to be able to provide an environmental certification service to interested registered suppliers.  We think that this can make a significant contribution to the sustainability agenda. We hope that the service provided by Planet Positive will enable our suppliers to measure their environmental performance and provide them with best practices.”

ProcServe and Planet Positive will be hosting a number of joint online and in-person events on Sustainability throughout June and September. To find out more information about these events, or the certification process, please email info@procserve.com.