3 key sustainable purchasing practices to help companies be socially responsible
11/25/2025
by :
Lucile de Castelbajac
Although buying may seem like a simple, everyday act, every choice we make -as individuals or as a company- has a profound impact on the planet and on the people who manufacture the products we consume.
From the extraction of raw materials to the working conditions of thousands of people, our purchases send a message about the kind of world we want to create. If your organization aims to be more coherent, ethical, and responsible, sustainable purchasing is a strategic and urgent place to start.
Buying is not a neutral act. Every product that reaches our hands has gone through a complex chain that includes the extraction of raw materials, industrial transformation, transportation, packaging, and the human labor required to manufacture it. At every stage, resources (minerals, metals, etc.), water, and energy are used, and pollution, waste, and CO₂ emissions are generated.
For example, producing a smartphone requires more than 12,000 liters of water and over 60 different minerals -such as lithium, cobalt, gold, or rare earth elements - in addition to a large amount of energy. All of this for a device we replace, on average, every 2 or 3 years (in the best-case scenario).
Globalization has made supply chains so extensive and complex that we rarely understand the real cost of producing what we use every day. This disconnect becomes even stronger during seasons like Buen Fin or Black Friday, when promotions, ads, and a sense of urgency encourage impulsive consumption and discourage us from reflecting, comparing, or questioning our needs.
Companies also make purchases: raw materials, specialized services, office furniture, electronic devices, chemicals, transportation, and more. And when these purchases are made in large volumes and across suppliers in multiple countries, the socio-environmental impact multiplies. That’s why procurement is a key issue in business ethics and corporate social responsibility.
Sustainable purchasing consists of acquiring products and services that reduce their environmental and social impacts throughout their entire life cycle—from their origin to their final disposal. It’s not just about choosing “the most eco-friendly” option, but about making informed decisions by evaluating:
• Materials used
• Working conditions
• Local production and transportation distance
• Energy and water consumption
• Durable or repairable designs (also known as ecodesign)
• End-of-life management (Can the product be recycled? How easy or difficult is it?)
A central element of this vision is the circular economy, which promotes keeping materials in use for as long as possible through the 7 Rs of recycling: Redesign, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle, and Reincorporate. This approach allows for smarter decision-making, and here we share an article dedicated exclusively to this topic.
Because purchasing represents a huge percentage of an organization’s environmental and social impact. On average, supply chain emissions are 26 times higher than internal operational emissions within the carbon footprint. For this reason, improving purchasing practices is essential to comply with regulations, reduce risks, and align the company with its sustainability, ethics, CSR, and corporate social responsibility commitments.
In addition, public scrutiny is increasing. Numerous reports have documented bad practices in global supply chains: forced labor, worker exploitation, illegal logging, toxic pollution, excessive plastic waste ending up in rivers and oceans, or mineral extraction in conflict zones. Each new scandal erodes the trust of consumers, employees, and investors.
Beyond reputational risk, a local and sustainable supply chain offers greater transparency, better operational control, and faster response times. This reduces vulnerabilities to logistical disruptions, international conflicts, extreme weather events, or crises such as a pandemic.
Before purchasing, it’s essential to understand who produces, how they produce, and where they produce. This helps identify environmental, social, and ethical risks, and select suppliers aligned with the company’s values.
Sustainable purchasing is not something you review just once. It requires continuous processes, clear goals, and periodic monitoring to improve year after year and strengthen the organization’s ESG strategy.
Team training supports consistent decision-making, reduces risks, and encourages communication between areas such as sustainability, finance, and operations. Having shared procedures, criteria, and tools ensures that sustainable purchasing is integrated consistently across the organization.
If your company wants to move toward more responsible purchasing, we can support you throughout the process. At Nosotrxs, we help our clients integrate these practices into the daily work of procurement and sustainability teams.
Discover our services!