The purpose of ISO 20400 is to assist organizations of any kind and size with the development and implementation of a responsible sourcing strategy. The standard offers both an overview of the general principles of sustainable procurement as well as guidance on the implementation process.

ISO 20400 does not contain requirements for suppliers and is not a tool to assess the sustainability performance of suppliers. Rather, it describes how organizations can integrate sustainability into the procurement process.

Benefits of working with the standard

The main reason to adopt ISO 20400 is that it enables organizations to integrate sustainability into procurement in a systematic way. As such, it helps the organization to:

• Meet the demands of customers and other stakeholders to assume responsibility for its supply chain
• Identify legal, financial and moral risks associated with sustainability in the supply chain
• Monitor and improve the sustainability performance of suppliers
• Build supplier relationships that create long-term, sustainable value

GC-Mark Certification

Our qualified auditors confirm the implementation of the standard through an on-site assessment. The detailed audit report outlines their key findings and makes recommendations for improvement, if applicable. After passing the audit, the organization receives an ISO 20400 certificate and the Sustainable Procurement label. The certificate and label are valid for one year and can be used for communication and marketing purposes.