We cannot reach Net Zero without our suppliers and contractors, as a resilient network needs a supply chain to match. We are taking a leading role to ensure our suppliers have the knowledge, resources, and the support they need, as a strong relationship with our supply chain is critical to facilitate Net Zero.
Our suppliers are instrumental in delivering our plans and enhancing supply chain sustainability. We are working to ensure that our suppliers’ standards and ambitions are reflective of our own. Continuous engagement with our supply chain is crucial, as we can identify and support with any challenges, providing the resources they need and helping create action plans, ensuring no one is left behind in the transition to decarbonisation.
We have reflected on feedback from our supply chain and now engage with them earlier, maximising sustainability opportunities and identifying areas of best practice.
As a business, we are partners with the Supply Chain Sustainability School with the purpose of providing support to our supply chain but to also increase knowledge and development within the business. It provides a common way of working and a common way of thinking, providing an alignment across the full supply chain.
We have committed in RIIO-2 to become a Supply Chain Sustainability School partner and require all contractors and suppliers for new contracts to become a member and undertake relevant sustainability and environmental training.
As partners of the Supply Chain Sustainability School, all our suppliers can access a wealth of resources and register to the school for free, supporting them in their journey to Net Zero. Through this platform, they can self-assess their knowledge level, highlighting any knowledge gaps. Following this self-assessment, suppliers will be given a bespoke action plan to work towards, ultimately providing them with the information they need as we continue in this transition to a greener future.
In 2022, we further enhanced our standard contract terms, pre-qualification questionnaires and specifications, obligating our suppliers and contractors to meet high environmental management standards. This drives sustainability at the very offset of new contracts, highlighting our expectations of suppliers, which will our journey to Net Zero. Through industry-wide collaboration, we have created new supply chain performance metrics to ensure clear and concise KPIs are driven across the industry.
For more information about our most recent initiatives, check our case studies!