Responsible Procurement & Sustainability Auditing

Service summary

A review of how environmental, social and ethical purchasing commitments are applied in procurement decisions. The audit examines supplier criteria, contractual expectations and the evidence used to monitor implementation.

The service helps management distinguish policy commitments from purchasing practice. Findings support oversight of existing procurement arrangements without selecting sustainability strategies or guaranteeing the performance of the supply chain.

Key objectives

• Assess sustainability criteria in purchasing
• Examine supplier evaluation evidence
• Evaluate contractual follow-through
• Identify gaps between commitments and practice

Methodology

Selected procurement categories and transactions are examined against existing responsible purchasing commitments and agreed assessment criteria.

• Define procurement categories, commitments and relevant assessment boundaries.
• Review sourcing criteria, policy obligations and supplier monitoring plans.
• Select higher-impact suppliers and representative purchasing decisions.
• Trace sustainability criteria through evaluation and contracting records.
• Examine supplier evidence, exceptions and follow-up activities.
• Assess consistency between reported procurement performance and underlying records.
• Report implementation gaps and evidence for procurement governance.

Key outcomes

References: [G04]

• Responsible procurement assessment
• Policy-to-practice findings
• Supplier evidence quality review
• Management oversight priorities