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March 20, 2020
[Business News Wales, 20 February 2020] Neath Port Talbot Council has agreed to implement a policy to demonstrate its commitment to the UK steel industry.
The UK Steel Charter Policy outlines the practical actions the Council can consider when procuring steel for construction projects.
The UK Steel Industry launched the Charter back in May 2019 in order to maximize the amount of UK produced steel used in construction and infrastructure projects. It encourages organizations to sign up and commit to a range of procurement steps.
As part of its commitment, the Council has agreed to:
• Pre-procurement planning to identify major projects where steel will be a critical component;
• Advertise major projects to make the market aware of future opportunities;
• Contractual provision in documentation to ensure supply chain information is provided for by the main contractors, including the advertising of supply chain opportunities;
• Ensure specifications include provision as to how steel is specified and procured;
• Address issues in respect of steel dumping and non-compliance with health and safety and social environmental legislation as part of its procurement exercises.
Councilor Rob Jones, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, said:
"I am extremely pleased that we are able to implement the policy to strengthen our commitment to the UK steel industry.
“The steelworks in Port Talbot are pivotal to the local economy, being a major employer and key to local businesses which form part of their supply chain.
“We are committed to achieving sustainable procurement which not only achieves value for money, but also promotes positive outcomes for the economy, environment and society.”
The implementation of the policy follows the recent Swansea Bay City Deal announcement of a £58.7m Supporting Innovation and Low Carbon Growth programme. With a targeted focus on the Port Talbot Harbourside area, one of the key elements of the programme is a National Steel Innovation Centre that will support the steel and metals industry in Port Talbot and Wales, while reducing its carbon footprint.
The policy also supports the Council’s sustainability and carbon footprint reduction drive with the encouragement of shortened and localized supply chains.
Read more at Business News Wales
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March 3, 2020
[CIPS Supply Management, 17 January 2020]Microsoft plans to include carbon reduction in its procurement processes in 2021 as part of an “aggressive” sustainability programme.
The firm aims to be carbon negative by 2030 and next year it “will also make carbon reduction an explicit aspect of the procurement processes for the supply chain”.
Microsoft said: “By July of 2021, we will begin to implement new procurement processes and tools to enable and incentivise our suppliers to reduce their scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.”
The tech giant will “work with suppliers to implement consistent and accurate reporting and pursue effective steps to make progress against scientifically based targets”.
This is part of a programme to cut its carbon footprint with changes aimed at reducing emissions by over 50% and the removal of more carbon than it produces by 2030.
The firm said by 2050 it will remove from the environment the carbon it has emitted, either directly or by electrical consumption, since it was founded in 1975.
The plan includes a new $1bn climate innovation fund to help achieve the goals by developing negative emission technologies, including afforestation and reforestation, soil carbon sequestration, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, and direct air capture, said Microsoft.
The plan starts with switching to 100% renewable energy through power purchase agreements for all its data centres, buildings, and campuses by 2025, using electric vehicles for the global fleet by 2030, and getting sustainability certificates for the Silicon Valley Campus and Puget Sound Campus Modernization projects.
Microsoft said to achieve its goal it will need to learn and adapt, collaborate with others around the world, and invent technologies to solve current problems.
Meanwhile, Danish turbine manufacturer Vestas has pledged to go carbon neutral by 2030 through transitioning to a green powered fleet, reducing CO2 emissions from its supply chain by 45% per megawatt-hour, and creating sustainability partnerships with suppliers.
Lisa Malmquist Ekstrand, head of sustainability at Vestas, said: “Becoming carbon-neutral in our own operations and reducing CO2 emissions in our supply chain is the next phase of our journey to ensure a more sustainable planet for future generations – which is our purpose as a company and as individuals.”
Read more at CIPS News
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