70%+
Scope 3 share
Many organisations see most emissions and social risk in the supply chain.
Supply chainsustainabilitybasics
Make supplier decisions part of your ESG story.
Supply chains shape most environmental and social outcomes. This page explains ESG supply chain management essentials so you can improve traceability, resilience, and reporting.
What does ESG supply chain sustainability mean?
It blends responsible sourcing, Scope 3 data, supplier engagement, and resilience planning so environmental and social impacts across the value chain stay transparent.
24/7
Monitoring
Disruptions and human rights alerts surface year-round, not just during audits.
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Multi-tier visibility
Indirect suppliers and logistics partners matter as much as tier-one vendors.
ESG supply chain focus areas
Traceability and data. Map products, materials, and services so you know who supplies what and where risk concentrates.
Responsible sourcing. Integrate human rights, biodiversity, and climate clauses into contracts and onboarding.
Supplier capability building. Provide templates, training, and incentives so partners can meet ESG expectations.
Resilience and contingency. Use scenario planning and approved backup suppliers to keep delivery on track.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why ESG supply chain management drives value
Cost and continuity. Transparent suppliers reduce surprises, expedite audits, and protect production schedules.
Regulatory confidence. CSRD, UFLPA, and modern slavery acts require supply chain evidence and remediation plans.
Customer trust. Buyers want proof that products and services align with their ESG commitments.
Innovation. Sustainable suppliers often introduce new materials, circular models, and efficiency gains.
EXECUTION
How to run ESG supply chain programs
- Segment suppliers. Group by spend, criticality, and risk to prioritise due diligence.
- Standardise questionnaires. Use a consistent ESG intake so data is comparable across vendors.
- Integrate with procurement. Embed ESG checkpoints into sourcing, contracting, and performance reviews.
- Escalate issues quickly. Flag breaches, remediation plans, and approvals inside RunSustainably so nothing slips.
MEASUREMENT
Metrics for ESG supply chain sustainability
- Coverage. Share the percentage of spend or suppliers assessed for ESG risk.
- Improvements. Highlight corrective action plans completed and time to close.
- Collaborations. Document joint improvement projects, training sessions, or incentives deployed.
- Scope 3 impacts. Connect supplier activity to emissions, waste, or social KPIs so reports stay actionable.
Supply chain ESG actions to try next
Publish a supplier code summary. Translate standards into plain language for smaller partners.
Pilot a supplier roundtable. Invite priority suppliers to co-design reporting rhythms and remediation support.
Automate reminders. Use RunSustainably tasks to remind teams when supplier evidence or approvals are overdue.
GLOSSARY SNAPSHOT
Supply chain glossary snapshot
Scope 3 emissions. Indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur in your value chain.
Responsible sourcing. Policies and processes that ensure suppliers meet environmental and social standards.
Supplier maturity score. A simple rating that shows where each supplier is on the ESG journey.
FAQS
ESG & supply chain sustainability basics FAQs
Where do we start with ESG supply chain work?
Start with a risk-based map of suppliers, then focus on the highest impact categories.
Do we need technology to manage supply chain ESG?
Shared spreadsheets work early on, but purpose-built tools like RunSustainably centralise actions, approvals, and reporting.
How do we keep suppliers motivated?
Share clear expectations, celebrate progress, and provide practical templates so compliance feels achievable.
What if suppliers resist?
Offer phased requirements, explain the regulatory context, and plan remediation paths before escalating.
Drova RunSustainably unites objectives, approvals, and reporting so these ESG topics stay actionable.
Ready to keep ESG insight organised?
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Triple bottom line
See how people, planet, and profit stay connected.
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Bring the people dimension into every plan.
The G in ESG: Governance
Assign accountability and decision rights.
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Plan how you listen and respond across audiences.
ESG due diligence
Screen investments and partners with confidence.
ESG IPO readiness
Show exchanges and investors a clear ESG story.
ESG audit
Keep data, controls, and evidence organised.
