At a sustainable procurement conference I attended yesterday I met Nigel McKay, head of procurement at construction firm Bovis Lend Lease.
He told me that he spends 20 per cent of his working life completely focused on the sustainability agenda. I thought this was quite a revelation.
During the economic downturn, the construction industry has endured a torrid time and it is fantastic to hear big issues such as the environment and social responsibility have not being dropped or discarded.
It backs up our
SM100 poll from late last year, where 66 per cent of purchasers argued sustainability has not fallen in importance, despite the financial crisis. Those polled suggested that adopting long-term sustainable strategies could deliver greater savings and more security of supply.
I was also struck by the certainty with which Nigel made this statement. Are other buyers so sure about how they split their time? How much time do you spend on sustainable procurement?