Sustainable Procurement

What is it and why does it matter?

For any small or growing business, profitability and the P&L is arguably the sole defining factor when making business decisions.

So what if you could reduce the cost of the goods and services you purchase for your business by centralising your procurement with This Is Zero?

And what if, in tandem, you could source more sustainable products, solutions or suppliers as a by-product.

That'd be a no-brainer, right?

Well it isn't a pipe dream - let us show you how.

How does it work?

We first look at and analyse your current suppliers and purchases across the business. From this, we're able to ascertain what you're buying or consuming, at what price and from whom.

With this information, we're able to do three things for you:
- Utilising benchmark data, flag where your contracts or pricing is over-the-odds
- Highlight whether you have the opportunity to migrate to alternative sustainable tariffs or solutions
- Highlight and get quotes for alternative sustainable products

This in turn, allows us to:
- Negotiate with your existing supplier. Changing supplier is a hassle at the best of times so retaining an existing relationship is preferential
- Migrate or find a new supplier who can provide the required goods/services and at the right price

What this means in practice?

Step 1:

Analyse

We analyse your business costs over the last 12 months looking at what goods and services you're buying, from who and at what price

Step 2:

Identify

We identify areas where you are paying over-the-odds, where alternative / better suppliers are available and what options you have for sustainable (but equivalent) products.

Step 3:

Save pounds, support the planet

We're not a brokerage - we won't just move you to the cheapest option. We provide you with the information in order to make the best decision for your business.

We will facilitate introductions or can help with the execution to enable you to realise cash savings

Frequently asked questions

What sorts of costs can you help us with?

There are cost and carbon opportunities everywhere. The obvious areas are electricity, gas, water, fuel, fleet and waste but we also look at logistics & distribution, business travel, IT hardware & office supplies, print, merchant payments services... The list goes on

How do the commercials work?

For the initial analysis, we charge a fee up-front which depends on the number of cost areas you're looking for support on and the complexity. This is so, should you decide to not progress with realising the cost or carbon opportunities, our time and effort is covered.
Where you do however decide to pursue the findings and realise the savings, the initial fee is fully reimbursed and are consequently compensated on a share of savings or a retained basis if you wish us to manage your costs & carbon in the longer term.

We want to minimise the financial barriers to incentivise progress towards your business becoming more sustainable and we will always look to support you in the most commercially minded way possible.

What if I don't want to move suppliers?

We hear you! Even to save money, moving suppliers can be a hassle and there is inherent value in maintaining existing relationships.
Our analysis will show you whether you're getting a good price with your existing supplier and what alternative, more sustainable products are available (and at what price). We will support in conversations with your existing supplier(s) to encourage them to work with you and to provide you both with more competitive pricing given what you could achieve elsewhere and/or to offer better products/services.
If they can't or won't play ball, you've the option to migrate to a new supplier which we'll help with

What do we need from you?

This depends on what is being assessed or analysed but generally, we need very little:
- Your existing supplier contract
- At least the last 3 months invoices

To allow us to execute and deliver savings, we then typically only need:
- Signed terms
- An LOA to allow us to act on your behalf

How quickly can we achieve savings?

Once we're instructed to commence your cost & carbon analysis, we will start working immediately.
Each cost area as a rule of thumb takes between a day and a week to analyse. From there, we are reliant on the speed in which alternative suppliers can onboard you or how ready/willing existing suppliers are to collaborate.
The only real delays occur where you are tied in on existing contracts which may still have months or years to run. In these cases, we will work with you to assess and analyse whether the early termination of these contracts would work in your favour or not. Just because you are in-contract, doesn't mean you don't have options!