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Sustainable Outsourcing: top-10 tips for success

In recent years, the issue of sustainability has risen up the corporate agenda. “Smart companies are increasingly realizing that the buildings they occupy can really improve their ‘triple bottom line’ – people, planet and profit” stated Edmond Sum, Global WorkPlace Solutions Regional Leader, when he spoke at a recent conference in Shanghai.
Edmond Sum, Global WorkPlace Solutions Regional Leader
Sum highlighted a 2010 study by UN Global Compact and Accenture which revealed that 93 percent of CEOs thought that sustainability would be critical to the success of their business. Results also showed that 88 percent of CEOs believed they should integrate sustainability throughout their supply chain.
In response to these overwhelming survey results, Edmond shared Global WorkPlace Solutions’ top-10 tips for successful sustainable outsourcing:

1. Clearly define what ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable outsourcing’ means to you and your customer
2. Obtain management commitment to developing a sustainability agenda
3. Ensure all employees, stakeholders and clients are educated on the sustainability approach and encouraged to input and provide feedback
4. Research supplier/contractor options for sustainable partnerships
5. Establish an evaluation structure to assess, progress and enable continuous improvement moving forward
6. Keep abreast of new legislation, technology and working environments
7. Consider all aspects of sustainability - i.e. environmental, social and financial
8. Integrate sustainable outsourcing as part of ’business as usual’ – this should not be a stand-alone program
9. Share best practice with the industry
10. Celebrate successes and report achievements
What do you think of Edmond’s top-tips?
  • If you have more tips to contribute, please email to Emily Chapple, Senior Environmental Consultant, Energy Solutions, Johnson Controls
  • Edmond Sum, Global WorkPlace Solutions Regional Leader, recently presented “Sustainable outsourcing: the impact for CRE portfolios” at the Workplace & FM Asia Summit in Shanghai.
    Download his full presentation (pdf 2.3 mb), which includes the Energy Efficiency Indicator 2011 survey results for China.
  • If you have any feedback on this article, or any of the stories featured in WorkPlace Now we would love to hear from you – please email
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