Programme overview
Introduction:
Sustainable procurement (ISO 20400), embedding ESG in sourcing decisions, is a 5-day course for procurement heads and category managers in public bodies and listed companies, ending with a Sustainable Procurement Implementation Plan for a case organisation. Many organisations publish sustainability targets while tenders are still awarded on lowest price, specifications ignore environmental and social requirements and contracts give buyers no lever over supplier ESG performance. Nominees already manage sourcing or approve awards, and the course is taught through case study work on real tender documents and cost data. CoreConcept Training Center delivers this sustainable procurement course.
Course Objectives:
- Assess the maturity of the procurement function against the ISO 20400 clauses and the ISO 26000 core subjects
- Draft a sustainable procurement policy statement with leadership commitment, accountabilities and measurable aims
- Prioritise spend categories by ESG risk, opportunity and sphere of influence to focus buyer effort
- Write environmental and social requirements into specifications, supplier selection criteria and weighted tender scoring
- Compare bids with a life cycle costing model and include supplier ESG performance clauses and KPIs in contracts
- Produce a Sustainable Procurement Implementation Plan that links sourcing decisions to the organisation's emissions and social targets
Target Audience:
- Managers accountable for procurement policy, procedures and the performance of the procurement function
- Managers responsible for sourcing strategies and award decisions across defined spend categories
- Managers who chair tender evaluation committees and approve award recommendations
- Managers responsible for supplier contracts, performance reviews and contract remedies
- Sustainability and ESG managers who rely on procurement to meet emissions and social targets
Course Outline:
Day 1: Sustainable Procurement Fundamentals and Organisational Baseline
- ISO 20400 Scope and Its Link to ISO 26000
- Sustainable Procurement Principles Including Accountability, Transparency and Ethical Behaviour
- ISO 26000 Core Subjects Translated Into Purchasing Issues
- Drivers for Sustainable Procurement in Public and Listed Organisations
- Sustainable Procurement Maturity Baseline Against ISO 20400 Clauses
Day 2: ISO 20400 Policy, Strategy and Organising the Procurement Function
- Sustainable Procurement Policy Statement and Leadership Commitment Drafting
- Spend Category Prioritisation Matrix Using ESG Risk and Opportunity
- Sphere of Influence Assessment for Supplier Leverage Decisions
- Procurement Governance Roles and Buyer Competence for Sustainability
- Stakeholder Engagement and Grievance Mechanism Within the Procurement Function
Day 3: Embedding ESG Criteria in Specifications, Tenders and Award
- Needs Challenge and Demand Reduction Before Specifying Purchases
- Environmental and Social Requirements Written Into Technical Specifications
- Supplier Selection Criteria for Sustainability Capability and Evidence
- Tender Scoring Weightings Balancing Price, Quality and ESG Criteria
- Life Cycle Costing Model for Energy, Maintenance and Disposal
Day 4: Contract Clauses, Supplier ESG Performance and Problem Cases
- Supplier ESG Performance Clauses, Remedies and Incentive Terms
- Contract Management KPIs for Emissions, Waste and Social Value
- Purchased Goods Emissions Data Requests Linked to Scope 3 Targets
- Greenwashing Claims and Unverifiable Supplier Evidence Red Flags
- Small Supplier Inclusion and Proportionate ESG Requirements in Tenders
Day 5: Case Study Practice and the Sustainable Procurement Implementation Plan
- Facilities Services Tender Case With Weighted ESG Award Criteria
- IT Hardware Purchase Case Comparing Life Cycle Cost Options
- Category Prioritisation Exercise for the Case Organisation Spend
- ESG Contract Clause Set and Supplier KPI Schedule Drafting
- Sustainable Procurement Implementation Plan Completion and Panel Review
Skills You Will Gain:
- Sustainable Procurement Policy Design
- ESG Category Risk Prioritisation
- Sustainable Specification Writing
- Weighted ESG Tender Evaluation
- Life Cycle Cost Analysis
- Supplier ESG Contract Drafting
- Greenwashing Detection
- Procurement Emissions Data Management
Why Attend This Course:
- Present a Sustainable Procurement Implementation Plan to the chief procurement officer or the sustainability committee for approval
- Decide which spend categories warrant ESG award criteria and how much weight those criteria should carry against price
- Avoid award challenges, unverifiable supplier claims and contracts that leave the organisation with no remedy for poor ESG performance
- Brief evaluation committee members and contract managers on writing ESG requirements, scoring them and tracking them after award
Conclusion:
Back at work, the participant presents the Sustainable Procurement Implementation Plan to the head of procurement, the sustainability committee or the executive team. The plan guides which categories receive ESG requirements first, how tender weightings and life cycle costs shape awards and which clauses and KPIs suppliers must accept. After the first tenders run under the plan, the unit should review award outcomes, supplier evidence quality and emissions data returned, then adjust category priorities, criteria weightings and contract terms for the next sourcing round.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What should participants know before a sustainable procurement (ISO 20400) course?
Participants should already run tenders, manage category spend or approve awards. Familiarity with the organisation's sustainability targets helps. Bringing an anonymised specification, evaluation matrix or contract makes the case work closer to their own sourcing decisions.
How does sustainable procurement (ISO 20400) differ from a supply chain sustainability or category management course?
It concentrates on the procurement process itself: policy, category prioritisation, specifications, tender scoring, life cycle costing and ESG contract clauses. Supply chain sustainability courses map value chain impacts and audit suppliers, while category management courses build sourcing strategies and negotiation plans.
Is ISO 20400 for sustainable procurement a certifiable standard?
No. ISO 20400 gives guidance rather than certifiable requirements. Organisations use it to integrate sustainability into procurement policy, the organisation of the procurement function and each step of the procurement process, and can assess themselves against its clauses.
What do participants take back from the sustainable procurement (ISO 20400) course?
Participants take back a Sustainable Procurement Implementation Plan for a case organisation, with a prioritised category list, ESG specification and scoring templates, a life cycle costing model and a set of supplier ESG contract clauses and KPIs.