Nationwide has partnered with leading business sustainability ratings provider, EcoVadis, as the mutual builds on its commitment to creating more sustainable supply chains.
The world’s largest Building Society will utilise EcoVadis’ supplier sustainability rating system to add another layer of insight when evaluating potential new suppliers to ensure they share Nationwide’s commitment to upholding human rights, protecting the environment, and engaging in sustainable procurement.
Imran Rasul, Chief Procurement Office at Nationwide Building Society, said: “As a mutual founded with a social purpose, responsible business is in our DNA and we expect our supply chain to align with our values and to share our commitment to sustainability. We’re proud to partner with EcoVadis as we build the next phase of our procurement strategy, which will enable us to build more sustainable supply chains and be a leading voice on sustainable procurement.”
Nationwide recently received a High Commendation for its approach to procurement at the Chartered Institute for Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Excellence Awards. The partnership with EcoVadis will build on these foundations and is the latest step in the Society’s procurement ambitions, centred on building a more diverse, ethical and green supply chain.
Lazar Armianov, Regional Sales Director at EcoVadis, said: “Nationwide’s ambition to build a more diverse, ethical and greener supply chain is the type of change we want to help companies achieve within their journeys toward a more sustainable future. We’re excited to start this partnership with Nationwide to help its team take these goals to the next level.”
The Society has already been working with its key suppliers and industry organisations to help realise the ambition of more sustainable supply chains. Alongside EcoVadis, programme partners include carbon consultancy Carbon Intelligence, Social Enterprise UK and anti-slavery charity Unseen.
Nationwide is working towards a low carbon future by minimising its own impact. The Society is now carbon neutral in its energy use and emissions for all internal operations and company vehicles, uses 100 per cent renewable energy and sends zero waste to landfill. The next goal is to extend carbon neutrality through all business operations, supply chain and commuting by 2030.
