If you recently had to complete a tender document, you likely had several sustainability or environmental impact questions to complete.
For some time, public sector tenders have contained a CSR element, but as tackling the climate crisis becomes more of a priority, this has expanded and trickled down to wider industry. Now, it’s increasingly the case that a company tendering for work without seriously considering the environmental and social impact will find their pitch coming second to those that have.
This section of the tender usually equates to 10-20% of the total evaluation mark; definitely enough to tip a bid in your favour if you show the right delivery capabilities and are competitive in terms of value for money.
For smaller organisations, this can be daunting and potentially put them off submitting a proposal altogether. Here’s a small guide to what will be expected of you and how Play It Green could help.
What Will Be Asked?
You will likely need to prove that your company is working to reduce its impact on the environment by reducing your carbon footprint and emissions, minimising waste, using sustainable products, and/or being part of an ethical supply chain.
It’s almost guaranteed to be asked whether you have an environmental policy in place. A relevant and robust policy can set the tone for your business’s sustainability commitment and set you apart from your competitors.
You will also be expected to expand upon the action you have taken to reduce your impact on the environment. Here, providing facts and figures is critical, and why we recommend having already set sustainability targets and KPIs, and be actively measuring your performance.
A great thing to be able to include is your carbon footprint measurement and the activities you have undertaken specifically to reduce your emissions as a company.
Another question you may be asked is whether you provided any environmental training to your staff or how you have sought to engage them on this issue.
Aside from your environmental impact, you may also be expected to show how your organisation is making a social impact, too. This could include supporting local charities and community projects or helping to tackle serious issues such as homelessness, poverty, and health within your community.
How Play It Green Can Help
Business members signed up to Play It Green’s Climate Positive Workforce programme are perfectly positioned to go through the tendering process.
By signing up, you gain access to our Net Zero Framework. This allows you to review, plan, and set actions in 9 key programme areas that will ultimately take your business to Net Zero: Governance, Energy and Emissions, Food, Procurement, Transportation, Venue, Resource Use and Waste, Water, and Projects and Workforce. You will also gain access to our network of sustainability experts to help you make progress in this area.
All your staff and workforce will be aided in reducing their footprint through weekly correspondence including tips on being more sustainable as a business and at home. On top of that, enough trees are planted every month to rebalance the carbon footprint of your entire staff’s personal lives and 7500 annual work miles. This helps show not only how you’re reducing your footprint as a company but how you are engaging your workforce too.
Regarding having a social impact, the trees are in Madagascar through our tree-planting partner, Eden Reforestation Projects, where local community members are employed to plant and care for the trees. This means less poverty, and more people can afford daily necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, education and medicine.
On top of that, 10% of all revenues Play It Green receives from your organisation go towards a good cause of your choice, ensuring you’re tackling the issues most important to you and your business.
All of this ensures that your organisation is taking robust action on the environment and social issues, and raises the likelihood of success in the tendering process.
Find out how Play It Green can help your business