Tag Archives: Procurement

4 Ways Businesses Can Become More Sustainable

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You’ve probably heard the word “sustainable” many times by now, but you may wonder what it has to do with your business. Sustainable business means that you’ll be you’ll be increasing the odds that you company can continue indefinitely by minimizing social and environmental impacts while ensuring financial stability. Studies have shown that sustainable business perform better financially, including one report by nonprofit CDC, reported by The Guardian that found they secure an 18% greater return on investment (ROI) than organizations that aren’t, and 67% more than companies who refuse to. How can you help your business become more sustainable?

green-economy

1. Think Greener in Procurement Sources

One of the best, and easiest, things you can do to make your business more sustainable is to practice environmentally-friendly procurement. Take a close look at your current suppliers and make changes as necessary by using suppliers that don’t use excessive packaging or sell products that contain substances that are harmful to the environment.

As often as possible, choose recycled items made from renewable material. Ask plenty of questions when researching various suppliers to find out where their goods are coming from, including whether the manufacturer is a sustainable business.

Whenever possible, use local suppliers, rather than purchasing online.

2. Seek Help from an Energy Broker

An increasing number of businesses are embracing renewable energy and energy management today. Your office can be powered with a variety of alternative sources like biomass, hydropower, geothermal, solar and wind power. There are hundreds of companies that supply energy in a myriad of different ways, affecting your bottom line and sustainability.

While there are usually a few suppliers dominating any given market, many other small suppliers are known for getting more creative in their offerings. Trying to figure out which one is best for your organization can be a very difficult task which is why using an energy broker who is knowledgeable about all the complexities that come with this sector, can best analyze the energy market to provide you with the greenest, most cost-effective options.

3. Reduce Water Usage

Water shortages are becoming an increasingly bigger problem in many places around the world, including North America. Whether your organization is located in a drought-stricken area or not, decreasing water use will help to conserve a valuable resource and help you save money at the same time.

Instead of using a sprinkler system to keep lush lawns around the building, switch to a drip irrigation system to significantly reduce water usage or consider changing the landscaping to something more drought tolerant. Fix plumbing leaks and dripping taps and install low-flow faucet aerators in your bathrooms.

4. Switch From Gas To Electricity

Electricity is much easier to source sustainably than gas and oil, especially if you use solar panels to collect energy from the sun. So by switching over some of your gas-powered company owned equipment to their electric counterparts you can ultimately help your business become more sustainable.

Some equipment to consider switching could include: switching from gas powered to electric vehicles (especially for companies that rely heavily on transportation), switching from gas-powered to electric-powered riding mowers (especially for landscaping businesses).

As there are so many different types of lawn mowers available, sites like home gear expert show us interesting comparisons which will help you find the one which best matches your needs.

A good electric riding mower with good user ratings will cost you a couple thousand dollars but could save you money in the long term plus make your business more sustainable.

Recommended Reading: How to Make Your Business Sustainable

Why Procurement is the Hottest New Realm for Tech Investors?

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More than ever before, investing in sublime software-company-based valuations is paramount, especially for businesses that have different distribution cycles and those that have also intensified their asset ownership.

The same applies to tech investors who for the past few years have been overreaching in finding the optimal solutions for not only analysis but in transforming operations in the most sensitive areas of their work.

With that in mind, is procurement the next big thing for tech investors? Is procurement the hottest new realm for investors to eye? Let’s take a gander at a few reasons why it indeed is.

Why Procurement Tech Is So Popular

Understanding Procurement

Before you jump on the bandwagon, you must understand what the term procurement means. In layman’s terms, procurement involves the processes included in preparation, processing incoming demands, and the end processes of approving payments.

You can also define it as the process or steps taken when obtaining goods, services, equipment, and everything in between. And in the modern world, what used to be a rather lengthy and sometimes complicated process has been eased by, if you guessed right, procurement technology!

Why Procurement Tech Is So Popular Right Now

From data analytics to cloud-based software, process automation, and self-service portals, a diverse range of technology tools are currently being used to make procurement processes and cycles flawless. Below are some compelling reasons why tech investors should consider giving the procurement industry a try.

1. Analysis and Budgeting

If you are heading a tech department, you must analyze your company’s needs. This allows you to strategically define the key areas that might need more funding in terms of acquiring services/materials as the key components in helping you realize the company’s bottom line.

With this perhaps being one of the key areas considered by procurers and intermediaries, a lot of companies are relying on analytical software to help gather data and make their budgets.

2. Strategic Sourcing

After you’ve clearly defined your goals, you’ll need to identify suppliers who at a considerable cost will provide you with high-quality products. Price and product comparison are crucial elements that shouldn’t be ignored. Many companies rely on various tech tools for this.

3. SRM – Supplier Relationship Management

This is an important stage in procurement as it helps prevent issues to do with delays and quality drops. This stage allows you to closely monitor products and services, communicate with both suppliers and clients, and in evaluating your innovative projects. Various tools exist as well to help individuals and companies in this stage of procurement.

How Trends Impact Procurement

As industries keep evolving, so are the technologies and processes involved. The area for procurement today revolves around data. The systems and methodologies used in yesteryears cannot be termed to be as effective. There were flaws, delays, and not to mention lack of clear-cut strategies.

Thankfully, a great deal of technological advancements has been seen in the procurement industry over the past couple of years. Today, there are tons of tools designed to streamline your procurement processes so you can refocus on other areas of business that scale your revenues and profit.

How Trends Impact Procurement

Data Visibility

The modern systems and tools used in procurement have helped procurement departments in diversified industries to have ease of access to information, bring order to data management, and in extraction and analysis of data.

Risk Management

This is an important aspect in just about any business. In procurement, however, this has been by evaluating the risks involved in data and information exposure. Over the past few years, the cumulative risks involved have been greatly reduced and the rewards exponentially increased.

Sustainability

In a world where almost every process in business seems to be centered on sustainability, you can expect nothing less in procurement processes. There’s more focus on the implications procurement has on social and environmental levels.

Now, even as businesses continue to outsource their procurement activities, one thing remains constant. Most companies want to keep costs down while focusing on strategic growth, and procurement tech tools allow them to do just that.

With the above pointers in mind, it is easy to see why procurement is among the hottest realms right now for those interested in tech investments.