Client: Royal Botanical Gardens Kew
The Objective
To develop a strategy for sustainable procurement, using a detailed analysis of the supply chain to inform development of expectations for suppliers, data collection forms and guidance for staff.
Case Study
3ADAPT have supported the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) on an ongoing basis with their carbon reporting and decarbonisation efforts towards their 2030 Climate Positive target. RBG Kew’s procurement function is responsible for ~50% of its total carbon footprint. In 2023, 3ADAPT were commissioned to provide specialist advice to RBG Kew to profile the supply chain, embed sustainable procurement practices, and initiate supplier engagement with the aim of formalising the plans to decarbonise emissions from the procurement function.
Through an in-depth analysis of RBG Kew’s procurement data across a number of consecutive years, we worked with the Heads of Sustainability and Procurement to establish appropriate categories to segment the supply chain and to develop a long- and short-list of suppliers to engage with. This process informed a greater understanding of RBG Kew’s supply chain and key hotspots to inform the following stages of work.
In addition to a spend-based analysis, we explored several alternative methodologies that could be employed by RBG Kew for each category (i.e., goods, works, services) to establish a more accurate estimate of emissions. This included providing recommendations on the data that would be required from suppliers in order to do so.
Through significant engagement with the Head of Procurement, we developed a map of RBG Kew’s procurement processes and identified key points in the process at which interventions could take place. This included identification of key stages where data could be requested from suppliers or questions could be asked around their sustainability-related efforts. We developed additional questions to insert into relevant forms and developed a survey to be circulated to both new and existing suppliers.
A series of expectations were developed for suppliers, with expectations differing according to the type of contract (i.e., goods, works, services). Expectations focussed on carbon to help meet the Climate Positive target, but also included considerations relating to waste, responsible resource use and biodiversity. Expectations were developed in relation to suppliers’ targets and strategies, processes for measurement and reporting, and their ability to demonstrate performance against their goals. Through a review of the current maturity of RBG Kew’s key suppliers, a roadmap was developed setting out dates by which contracts of different sizes would be required to meet the expectations.
To support the implementation of this work at RBG Kew, 3ADAPT produced content for insertion into procurement policy and strategy documents and developed a comprehensive guidance document for staff. The guidance document included an overview of key context and outlined expectations for suppliers across all themes explored. It also included example questions for each theme and for each type of contract that could be easily inserted into tender documents. In order to assist staff with evaluation of supplier responses, the document also included guidance on what would be expected and considered best practice within a response. It also included worked examples of how sustainability can be scored and weighted in the tender process with consideration given to RBG Kew meeting their duties under the Social Value Act and where it is possible to go beyond this.
Impact
Working with Kew Gardens to be climate positive by 2030 considering Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions including those of their supply chain of over 22,000 tonnes.
