Collaborating for Sustainable Supply Chains: SMEs and Strategic Suppliers
We are continuing to embed sustainability through collaboration at every level of our supplier network. Our SME* Forum, now in full swing, held its third session of the year at our Nottingham office.
*Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the attendees at this forum. The focus of the workshop in September was ‘Trading Fundamentals’, bringing sustainability to life with discussions on Evergreen and Modern Slavery Assessments, Social Value Requirements, and Carbon Reduction Plans (CRPs).
It was a valuable opportunity to understand the challenges for SMEs, share guidance on mandatory sustainability requirements, and explore how we can support suppliers on their journey towards Net Zero.
Our Head of Sustainability Heidi Barnard also introduced the new Guidance for Sustainability Reporting Requirements, developed with The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP), the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), and NHS England.
This tool simplifies complex Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) obligations, reduces duplication, and helps suppliers plan for compliance.
See our Useful Links section for more on the ISEP Reporting Guidance.
Heidi also presented a spotlight on procurement and Scope 3 emissions and the pivotal role we play in the NHS system targets through enabling ‘Buy Less, Buy Better, Buy Different.’
The September forum was a day that generated some great conversations, follow up actions and opportunities to collaborate with our SME suppliers. Future forums will provide a deep-dive into Evergreen Assessments, ahead of the Level 1 requirement for NHS Supply Chain tenders from April 2026.
Supplier Relationship Management Programme
Alongside SME engagement, our Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Programme is also embedding sustainability with our largest suppliers. Following a summer recalibration, the programme now includes five preferred suppliers and 27 key suppliers – together accounting for 25% of our Scope 3 emissions.
Collaboration goes beyond compliance, with a focus on opportunities across products, pathways, packaging, and sustainable practices. In the coming months, we’ll share more outputs from this work with customers.
Links section
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ISEP Reporting Guidance
Download and learn more about the guidance here.
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Sustainability Homepage
Supporting the NHS to become the world’s first carbon net zero national health system.