EO Director of Operations Examines Sustainable Value Chains at 2015 SPLC Summit

EO Director of Operations Examines Sustainable Value Chains at 2015 SPLC Summit

At the end of May, EO’s Director of Operations Sarah Coulter attended the 2015 Summit of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) in Seattle, Washington. Each year the summit provides a networking opportunity for professionals working in the sustainability industry to share ideas and learn best practices from other attendees. The conference was part of SPLC’s connect program that is designed to act as a venue for connecting responsible suppliers and ethical consumers. The summit also serves as a platform for SPLC to gain new insight and feedback for the development of its Guidance reports.

Coulter presented as part of the New Strategies in Purchasing Transportation workshop. The workshop explored how leading organizations are changing the way they utilize shipping, vehicle fleets, and energy to reduce the negative impacts of their transportation purchasing activities. In addition to Coulter’s presentation, there were talks by adjunct professor at the University of Illinois, Warren Lavey and the Sustainable Procurement Coordinator for the city of Portland, Oregon, Stacey Foreman. All three presenters offered insights into how their respective organizations are bringing creative solutions to transportation sustainability.

In addition to the workshops and presentations that Coulter took part in, she also connected with sustainable and responsible purchasing professionals from various industries. Reflecting on her conversations with colleagues in the government, energy utility, and consumer products sectors, Coulter reported strong interest in utilizing EO's market mechanisms to support responsible production of petroleum products.

Equitable Origin became Supplier Member of SPLC in March of this year.