Initiatives
CIPS Sustainability Index

CIPS Sustainability Index ... an initiative to have information about supply chain and sustainability

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

CIPS Sustainability Index Supplier sustainability audit Benchmark your suppliers’ organisational sustainability with CIPS Sustainability Index (CSI) – the independent, cross-sector financial, social and environmental supplier audit Developed by procurement experts, CSI offers a comprehensive, simple, fast and cost-effective online assessment of environmental, economic and social sustainability. Currently available in the UK and Ireland but with plans to go global, it is the only independent, verified measurement tool available, allowing suppliers to prove their sustainability credentials and buyers to obtain essential sustainability information in a more efficient way than via individual and lengthy questionnaires. As a buyer, CSI gives you a better view of your supply chain and reduces your supplier risk As a supplier, CSI helps you to demonstrate excellence in sustainability to industry-approved levels, strengthening information sharing with your customers and supporting your new business bids How Benefits - Supplier Benefits - Buyer Expertise Contact Cost effective: Completing the CSI independent assessment just once, for one fee, is more efficient than completing individual questionnaires from buyers which often ask common questions. The CSI score and detail can be provided to all your customers, saving you time and money Relevance: The CIPS Sustainability Index questionnaire is customised and tailored according to an organisation’s size and sector Access: Individual user accounts offer increased personal service, with dedicated customer support on hand Expertise: A highly trained, specialist evaluation team calculates the final score of each supplier, offering independent recognition of sustainability to each organisation indexed Feedback: Insightful analytics, scorecards and benchmarks specific to each organisation’s size and sector ensure feedback that’s easy to understand and interpret Approval: Proof of benchmarking comes in the shape of the CIPS Sustainability Index rating and certification badge Support: Best practice guidance will help suppliers to enhance their offering and keep abreast of current industry requirements To find out more, visit our Suppliers page. Cost effective: Registration is free to buyers and time saved on evaluating supplier responses means purchasing staff can be diverted to areas of higher value Comprehensive: Focusing on the three pillars of economic, environmental and social ratings, the CIPS Sustainability Index offers a detailed and thorough mechanism for evaluating suppliers Integration: The online collaborative platform is easy to use and incorporates well into existing supplier management strategies, with full customer support provided throughout the process Reassurance: All suppliers’ ratings are determined by specialist and highly trained evaluators, giving peace of mind that the scores have been established by independent industry professionals Risk management: CIPS Sustainability Index supports effective supplier management and risk reduction Development: New, accredited suppliers can be easily identified, helping organisations to meet ongoing sustainability requirements To find out more, visit our Buyers page.