The importance of sustainability in the supply chain

We are pleased to publish a valuable contribution on our blog written by Stefania Cordiani, the owner of the renowned platform QualitiAmo, which has been a reference point for quality professionals for years.

In this article, Stefania guides us through a topic that is becoming increasingly central for modern companies: evaluating suppliers based on sustainability criteria.

Today, sustainability is no longer just an additional concept but a true pillar for organizations aiming to thrive in the long term. As Stefania emphasizes, evaluating suppliers based on sustainability criteria means not only considering costs and delivery times but also crucial aspects like environmental impact, treatment of workers, and innovation.

Now, dive into this fascinating deep dive. Happy reading!

Evaluating suppliers from a sustainability perspective

by Stefania Cordiani, QualitiAmo

Sustainability is extremely important in today’s supply chain and is not just a passing trend, as some believe. It is essential to ensure long-term success, but it requires vision, innovation, and collaboration. Those who master it lead the market.

But what exactly is sustainability? It simply means running your business responsibly, balancing profit with care for the planet and people.

In short, it’s about thinking long-term.

Why is sustainability so important?

There are many reasons why sustainability has become crucial for modern companies, but the main ones are clear to everyone:

• Climate change
• Scarcity of natural resources
• Stricter regulations
• Increasing customer awareness of these issues

Suppliers play a crucial role in every organization since a significant part of a company’s environmental and social impact is tied to them. It’s therefore essential to choose partners aligned with our sustainability goals.

To manage this aspect effectively, sustainability cannot just be an afterthought; it must be fully integrated into quality management. It’s not simply about “adding” it as a secondary element, but “incorporating” it entirely. This way, suppliers will be evaluated not only for costs and lead times but also for their commitment to the environment and social well-being.

Incorporating sustainability into quality management

In the field of quality, we are used to evaluating various aspects through different systems, one of which is auditing. Visiting each of our key suppliers allows us to assess:

1. Environmental Impact
   • Does the supplier consume a lot of energy? Do they use renewable sources?
   • Do they manage waste well? Do they recycle?
   • Do they reduce emissions?
   • Do they conserve water?
   • Do they use eco-friendly materials?
2. Treatment of Workers
   • Do they comply with labor laws?
   • Do they guarantee safety?
   • Do they pay fairly?
   • Do they offer training?
   • Do they promote diversity?
3. Ethics
   • Do they have a code of ethics? Do they enforce it?
   • Are they transparent?
   • Do they combat corruption?
   • Do they manage their suppliers responsibly?
   • Do they protect data?
4. Innovation Capability
   • Do they invest in eco-friendly R&D?
   • Do they use clean technologies?
   • Do they create low-impact products?
   • Do they collaborate on green projects?
   • Do they focus on the circular economy?

Of course, these are just examples that need to be adapted to your sector and weighted according to priorities. However, it is undeniable that a robust evaluation system helps in selecting suppliers aligned with your sustainability goals.

Digital tools for sustainable evaluation

In the process of evaluating supplier sustainability, the use of digital tools can provide significant support, saving time and improving data analysis accuracy. Some examples of these tools include:

• Online questionnaires
  • Cover all key aspects of sustainability
  • Easy to complete and submit
  • Track progress and performance over time
• On-site digital audits
  • Based on checklists accessible from mobile devices
  • Gather real-time evidence
  • Sync data immediately, ensuring timely updates
• Data analysis and automatic reporting
  • Interactive dashboards for an immediate view of performance
  • Customizable reports based on business needs
  • Automatic alerts for critical areas, helping prevent issues

Key benefits of integrated audit and sustainability software

An integrated software solution for managing sustainability and quality offers numerous advantages. Some of the key benefits include:

• Flexibility: It adapts to any type of audit, ensuring broad applicability.
• Data centralization: All information is easily accessible from a single platform, simplifying decision-making.
• Collaboration support: It facilitates communication and teamwork between departments and suppliers.
• Complete traceability: Allows for efficient tracking and documentation of every activity related to the evaluation process.
• Increased efficiency: Reduces time and costs, optimizing company resources.
• Scalability: Grows with the company’s needs, adapting to increasing volumes of data and processes.
• Integration: Easily connects with other company systems, promoting seamless, integrated management.

In conclusion

As we have seen, integrating sustainability into quality management can be challenging, but with the right digital tools, it becomes an achievable goal.

In this context, our Audit Manager software proves to be a strategic ally for companies looking to manage and monitor quality effectively and comprehensively, incorporating sustainability aspects and improving collaboration with their suppliers.

Would you like to discover how Audit Manager can make a difference in your company too? Contact us to schedule a free live demo with no obligation!

And if you’d like to dive deeper into the topic of sustainability in quality management, we invite you to read the article published by QualitiAmo: ISO 9001 and Sustainability.