Case studies
The following case studies show sustainable procurement in practice and demonstrate how incorporating sustainability considerations can deliver cost and other benefits.
Bottled water case study: Slaughter and May
The firm provides bottled water to meeting rooms and training rooms at its offices. The firm previously purchased water in plastic and glass bottles, and during the course of a year this amounted to some 65,000 litres of bottled water. Slaughter and May had to recycle over 80,000 glass bottles and nearly 12,000 plastic ones. The cost of this bottled water was in excess of £46,000 per year.
Slaughter and May introduced a bottled water plant system. A dedicated dishwasher was also required to sanitise the reusable bottles and a suitable location was found in a ground floor pantry. This installation work, including the cost of the new dishwasher, cost £9,300.
The supplier installed a dual font which provides both sparkling and still water. Mains water is passed through a filter to remove solids and the chlorine taste, an ultra violet light is used to kill bacteria and a cooling plant to chill the water. Carbon dioxide gas is injected into the water line that feeds the sparkling water font. Canisters of the gas are rented from another provider.
Initially the new provider supplied 520 bottles (300 clear for still water and 220 frosted for sparkling water) as part of the rental contract along with 20 crates. After a few weeks of operation Slaughter and May’s caterers felt that they needed more bottles and crates. The supplier provided 10 additional crates free of charge and the company purchased another 288 bottles.
The cost analysis of the initiative is detailed below:
| Modifying worktops within the pantry | £5,400 |
| Supply and installation of a new dishwasher | £3,875 |
| 5000 purple bottle stoppers | £4,750 |
| Printing and initial artwork charge for original quantity of 520 bottles | £528 |
| Supply of additional 288 bottles (including delivery) | £793 |
| Delivery charge for crates | £10 |
| 5 year rental for the system | £14,000 |
| Carbon dioxide cylinder rental (three x five years) | £456 |
|
Carbon dioxide consumption (five cylinders per year x five years)
|
£378 |
|
Five year total
|
£30,190 |
|
Average annual cost (£30,190/5)
|
£6,038 |
|
Annual bottled water cost
|
£46,094 |
|
Annual saving
|
£40,056 |
|
Five year saving
|
£200,280 |
Branded paper case study: DLA Piper
The business currently uses over 1.8 million sheets of logo paper per annum which is used in all of its offices across the UK and Scotland.
Recognising that paper is a key resource for the business, DLA Piper approached internal stakeholders from Facilities, Marketing and IT to gather their thoughts and to decide the requirements for a new product.
There was a real desire within the firm to improve the logo paper which the company had been buying for a number of years. A wish list was devised with some key objectives to deliver a new product.
The key objectives were:
- To use an accredited FSC approved manufacturer and supplier.
- To enhance the quality of the product in terms of aesthetic appearance.
- To improve the environmental / sustainable credentials of the product.
- To reduce the amount of printer paper jams within the business, thereby improving productivity.
- To reduce the amount of packaging used to deliver the product.
- To reduce the unit price (if possible).
Several products were selected based on its environmental accreditations and the appearance and feel of the product.
Once these products had been chosen DLA Piper arranged for testing to be conducted in a controlled environment. All products were put through specific copying machines for a number of weeks to evaluate the number of paper jams for each product.
Once the figures had been recorded and compiled a report was produced on efficiency of the products. The products with the least amount of jams were taken to the next stage of the process.
The packaging and delivery methods of all paper types were then evaluated to ensure the most cost efficient and sustainable product was chosen. Negotiation on paper price meant that DLA Piper achieved its final objective - saving the business money (£9,000 per year).