The telecoms industry needs to follow the lead of the automotive sector when it comes to marketing its sustainability work according to Vodafone’s global supply chain management director, Detlef Schultz.
 
Speaking exclusively to Sustainable Sourcing, Schultz said that, despite the giant strides made in sustainability by the telecom’s industry, it was still failing to market itself as a the corporate responsible sector he believes it has become.
 
“At home if you begin using energy saving light-bulbs then you have a warm glow – you feel as though you’re making a difference,” he says. “It should be the same when you, as an operator, do something similar. As an industry, we have to market what we’ve achieved in this field far better, it’s something that we all have to learn as an industry. 
 
“If you look at the car industry, it wasn’t something that they wanted to do – they were forced to change their approach when government’s began introducing penalties for cars that churned out vast amounts of CO2. As an industry we should now be at the forefront.”
 
At Vodafone, Schultz has overseen a global supply chain that is working towards the company’s ambitious target of reducing its carbon footprint by 50% by 2020. And Luxembourg-based Schultz believes that his organisation’s place at the heart of Vodafone’s operation is a reflection of the impact that procurement can have on the firm’s sustainability strategy.
 
“We now have a seat in every executive board meeting and the discussion goes well beyond talking about savings,” Schultz says. “Just the fact that we consolidated all category management in the Vodafone company in Luxembourg shows how far we have come – that was a massive step.”
 
Vodafone is expected to unveil a range of new sustainability initiatives as the year continues – and although Schultz is keen to play his cards close to his chest, he’s clearly relishing supply chain’s position as the ace in the company’s pack.

By Richard Edwards

Japanese computer giant Toshiba has expanded its green procurement policy in a move that it hopes will encourage its Asian suppliers to take a more serious approach to sustainability.
 
The policy, which kicked off in Toshiba’s home market of Japan in February, is now set to be rolled out across Europe and the rest of Asia.
 
“Suppliers are encouraged to utilize green procurement, which provides for the procurement of parts and materials that have the smallest negative impact on the environment such as reduction of hazardous chemical substances,” the company’s policy document said.
 
Under the new plans, Toshiba will plough funding into evaluating areas such as resource conservation, energy savings and a reduction in the use of toxic substances across its supply chain.
 
The company is also set to embark on a comprehensive recycling programme, as it focuses on more innovative ways of reducing the environmental impact of its product lifecycles.
 
Although Toshiba launched its first green procurement guidelines in 1999, the latest revision is partly motivated by the need for the company to meet and exceed the guidelines set out in the European Union’s RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive.
 
The company is already working towards abolishing the use of 15 substance groups by the start of the 2010 financial year.
 
“Consumers are thinking more and more about their impact on the planet, and as a result they are looking for brands and products that are committed to the environment,” said Maria Repole, AVP corporate communications at Toshiba. “This year, Toshiba is putting even more emphasis on improving its environmental practices and demonstrating its commitment to sustainability.”

“As far as I’m aware I don’t think any previous Games have gone into as much detail as we have in terms of preparation.”