procurement Tag

February 14, 2025 In Green Building, Reeve Blog, Sustainable Purchasing

Behind The Seams of Fast Fashion & Making Better Choices

Every day, we put on clothes without a second thought. But have you ever wondered what it took for them to reach your closet? Behind every piece of clothing lies a long and complex journey—one that starts with raw material extraction, passes through chemical treatments and factory production, and eventually lands in stores before ending up in ever-growing piles of textile waste.

Fast fashion makes clothing cheap, trendy, and disposable, but at what cost? The materials that fuel this industry—polyester, nylon, acrylic, and other synthetics—are derived from fossil fuels. These fabrics shed microplastics, consume massive amounts of water, and rely on exploitative labor.

In recent years, there’s been a growing wave of change as the industry recognizes the urgent need to address its environmental, social and ethical toll. From eco-friendly materials to circular fashion models, change is happening —but it needs you to be a part of it. Make better choices – for the planet, for people, and for yourself!

February 5, 2025 In Green Building, Reeve Blog, Sustainable Purchasing

Human Rights Washing: A New Ethical Dilemma

In the era of heightened corporate responsibility and growing regulatory requirements, organizations are increasingly under pressure to demonstrate ethical practices. Yet, just as greenwashing misleads about environmental efforts, human rights washing is emerging as a troubling parallel in the fight for supply chain integrity.

While a company may tout stellar governance or retailer partnerships in developed countries, this does not guarantee the absence of human rights abuses in its supply chain. Ignoring the issue not only perpetuates exploitation but also exposes companies to legal, financial, and reputational risks. Businesses must move beyond superficial claims and take meaningful steps to ensure human rights are upheld across their operations.

December 13, 2024 In Green Building, Reeve Blog, Sustainable Purchasing

Unlocking Community Potential: Learn From Vancouver’s Policy

Have you ever glanced at the cranes towering over Vancouver, the skeletons of new condos and high-rises taking shape, and wondered: How much does it cost to build those? Where does the money go? How much of it benefits the people who live here?

Fortunately, the City of Vancouver has taken a bold step to ensure that new developments are more than just modern buildings—so that their construction creates employment opportunities for equity-deserving individuals and supports local economic development.

Vancouver has the third-highest low-income rate in Canada, with one in four residents living below the low-income measure. By leveraging the economic power of construction and development, the Community Benefit Agreements Policy seeks to create meaningful opportunities for residents and the local economy.

December 10, 2024 In Best Practice Framework Series

Why Do We Implement Sustainable Procurement Procedures?

Even with all the ingredients, it is difficult to make a cake without a recipe. If Tools are the ingredients of a Sustainable Procurement Program, Procedures are the recipe. Once an organization develops their Tools, it is crucial that they update their Procurement Procedures to reflect how and when staff should use them.

October 20, 2024 In Best Practice Framework Series

Unlock Success with a High Impact Procurement Opportunities List

When building and implementing your sustainable procurement program, it is easy to get caught in a perpetual planning phase. Creating a Strategy and Action Plan, updating Policies and Procedures, and mapping Staffing and Resources are all important elements of a sustainable procurement program, but they are only a portion of a high impact program. The goal when implementing a high impact sustainable procurement program is to avoid spending too much time on planning while the organization spends thousands of dollars on high-risk product/service categories.

October 16, 2024 In Green Building, Reeve Blog, Sustainable Purchasing

Bill C-59: Striking a Balance Between Greenwashing and Greenhushing

In 2024, global sustainability regulations have intensified, holding businesses accountable for their environmental and social impacts. These regulations focus not only on how companies measure sustainability but also on how they communicate it to stakeholders. With growing concerns about greenwashing—where companies make vague or misleading sustainability claims—consumers are finding it increasingly difficult to trust corporate environmental messaging. Misleading “green” claims create confusion, erode trust, and undermine efforts to address critical issues like climate change and pollution. This has led many countries, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and the European Union, to regulate how companies communicate their sustainability efforts, ensuring greater transparency and reliability.

In Canada, the focus has sharpened with the introduction of Bill C-59, which targets misleading environmental claims and strengthens regulations on sustainability reporting. This legislation emphasizes clarity and accuracy in corporate communications, aiming to build trust with consumers and reinforce responsible business practices.

October 10, 2024 In Best Practice Framework Series

Essential Tools for Sustainable Procurement Success

A Sustainable Procurement Program is only as impactful as its executors allow. Best Practice Framework elements like Strategy and Action Plan, Staffing and Resources, Policy, and HIPO Lists are crucial for building the strong foundation of a Sustainable Procurement Program, but are not always utilized in day-to-day purchasing decisions. This is why Tools are a crucial element of high performing Sustainable Procurement Program: they provide a tangible starting point, empowering procurement staff to translate sustainable procurement principles into actionable steps.

September 27, 2024 In Aboriginal Procurement, Reeve Blog

The Root of the Problem: Building Capacity in Indigenous Food Systems

“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.” ~ Robin Wall Kimmerer

September 20, 2024 In Best Practice Framework Series

Training and Communication for Sustainable Procurement

If an entire Sustainable Procurement Program is a 100-mile journey, 50 out of the 100 miles is allocated to Training and Communications. Typically, Training and Communications is the most undervalued element of Reeve’s 10-element Best Practice Framework. Organizations put effort into developing high quality Policies, Procedures, and Tools to build out solid infrastructure for their sustainable procurement program, however, they often neglect to effectively train staff and communicate to internal stakeholders. Without an understanding of sustainable procurement, staff and internal stakeholders cannot execute sustainable procurement effectively.

September 5, 2024 In Best Practice Framework Series

Measurement & Reporting: What Gets Measured Gets Managed

How impactful is your sustainable procurement program? Without a way to measure a program’s outcomes, it is very difficult to know if you’re truly making an impact. Although measurement and reporting can be a challenge and often requires a lot of effort, it is important to consider it while establishing other preliminary elements like Policy, Strategy, and Action Plan.