Perth & Kinross Council, with technical and financial support from Envirowise, has this week embarked upon a Supply Chain Partnership programme; the first ever public sector initiative of its kind in Scotland.
Perth & Kinross Council and some of its Community Planning Partners, including NHS Tayside, Perth College and the Walled Garden, met with Envirowise this week to share knowledge and expertise with local businesses
It was concluded at the launch event yesterday (Tuesday 22nd August), that the supply chain initiative will stimulate and help up to 30 shared suppliers to identify opportunities to make significant environmental and financial savings through improvements in their procurement and resource efficiency.
A key aim of this supply chain collaboration is to quantify the results so that the process can be rolled out to other local authorities, in order to help improve Scotland's environmental credentials as a whole.
Councillor Alan Livingstone, Convener of the Enterprise & Infrastructure Committee, said:
"Perth & Kinross Council already enjoys an enviable reputation as one of Scotland's leading authorities when it comes to environmental credentials. It is a natural progression to extend this ambition to work with our partners to reduce the environmental impact of our operations by minimising waste and making more efficient use of resources."
He added,
"This project links to the Council's activities to 'green' its own procurement processes, and it hopes that, by working with Community Planning Partners to influence shared suppliers, collective impacts will be reduced, and benefits will be realised in the whole supply chain. This makes good business sense, and is a useful contribution towards sustainable development."
Envirowise Business Manager for Scotland, Alan Hendry, said: "Perth and Kinross Council is leading the way in its sector with this green procurement strategy. With 15 companies already on board, the programme is well on the way to achieving significant cost savings. Similar projects that Envirowise has supported in the Scottish retail sector have achieved a staggering £4 million in savings since 2002."
The supply chain companies involved will receive audits between September and November, with a training workshop for all suppliers arranged for October this year.
Issued on behalf of Envirowise by Harrison Cowley.
Media Contacts: Jenny Ingram or Laura McKenzie at Harrison Cowley on 0131 226 2363 or jennyi@harrisoncowley.com or lauramc@harrisoncowley.com
Notes to Editors
About Envirowise
Envirowise delivers a valuable programme of confidential advice to Scottish businesses. This advice enables businesses to improve profitability and reduce environmental impact.
Independent, practical and proven guidance is available through the Envirowise Advice Line, information resources and on site visits* delivered by a national team of expert advisors. Each solution is driven by the specific needs of individual firms, to genuinely improve their business practices, profitability and competitiveness. Since 1994, Envirowise has helped UK industry save over £1 billion.
The Envirowise programme is available to any Scottish business, completely free of charge. For more information visit Envirowise's Scotland pages or call 0800 585 794.
* Please note that different services are available in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – please contact our Advice Line on 0800 585 794 for more information on whether you are eligible for a site visit.