Sustainability isn’t something you can tackle alone—it takes teamwork! Suppliers play a huge role in helping businesses meet their social and environmental goals. Whether it’s in the products and services they provide, how they treat their employees, or where they source materials, everything counts. Plus, when a product reaches the end of its life, it’s all about figuring out how to give it another life in the circular economy.
Goodbody Clearstream has teamed up with procurement and sustainability teams across different organisations to create a strong focus on “responsible sourcing.” The main goal? Getting suppliers—whether they provide materials, products, or services—on board through education and engagement. One very proactive initiative has been hosting bootcamps for suppliers, all about climate literacy, carbon footprinting, and figuring out ways to cut emissions together.
Why? Because suppliers’ emissions make up a big chunk of their clients’ carbon footprint. It’s in their scope 3 purchased goods and services. Without their full involvement, it’s tough for companies to hit those net-zero and emission-reduction goals.
What Happens at These Bootcamps?
Bootcamps are designed to give suppliers practical tools to measure their carbon emissions and understand how they relate to the services they provide to customers. But it’s not all technical stuff—it’s also a space for networking, sharing ideas, and building partnerships between customers and key service providers.
Calculating Carbon Footprints
Take two examples from the property sector. Suppliers showing up ranged from those in maintenance, cleaning, construction, and security to landscaping, utilities, and even beekeepers who care for hives on site (yes, bee-related services are a thing!). Around 20 companies joined, kicking things off with education and exercises to figure out what is a carbon footprint. Clearstream’s carbon experts led the way, giving suppliers the tools to measure emissions—scope 1, scope 2, and some scope 3—and teaching them how to allocate emissions to customers. By the end, everyone had a solid grasp on the basics of their carbon footprint and knew where to focus efforts to cut emissions.
Looking for Decarbonisation Opportunities
Next came brainstorming decarbonisation ideas. Suppliers and the customer teamed up to spot ways to lower emissions—everything from renewable energy and improving energy efficiency to green building practices. Real-life success stories were shared to show how these changes can make a big difference.
The Big Takeaway
At the end of the day, the feedback was really positive. Suppliers left feeling way more confident about calculating emissions and appreciated knowing how their numbers impact their customers’ carbon reporting. The bootcamp also created a sense of community and shared responsibility for reaching emissions goals. On top of that, suppliers valued the transparency around customer expectations and loved being part of the plan to cut emissions.
The bootcamp even helped suppliers connect with each other—something that doesn’t usually happen. This peer learning vibe helped build a real sense of teamwork around sustainability in property operations. The mix of training, problem-solving, and relationship-building created momentum for long-term efforts. As industry continues to prioritise sustainability, engaging suppliers in a very meaningful way, such initiatives will play a crucial role in driving positive change.
For more information on the bootcamps or other sustainability needs contact declan@goodbodyclearstream.ie