How to Pitch Sustainable Procurement to the C-Suite
Sustainable procurement programs need the backing of senior leaders to succeed. Here are our top tips on making sure your C-Suite pitch hits all the right notes.
Embedding sustainable procurement in your organisation is going to take a lot of hard work. And your program still might not get off the ground if it doesn’t have the support of key organisational stakeholders and those at the very top of the organisation.
From investment and resourcing, to championing the program and leading from the front, the C-suite holds the key to success for any organisation-wide change. Get their support and it gives your new strategy the boost it needs. Fail to make an impression and a new idea will get lost in the noise.
So, if you get the opportunity to present your sustainable procurement program to the C-suite, you need to make sure you make the most of the opportunity. Here are our top five tips for making a winning pitch.
1. Know how you will link sustainable procurement to organisational strategy
If the C-suite is going to get on board, you need to tell them how the program fits with existing organisational strategies and objectives. From your preparation you’ll understand what is important to the business, whether it’s attracting top employees with a strong sustainability brand or perhaps creating a competitive advantage.
You know the immediate impact on procurement and supply chain, but what about the other departments? By linking sustainable procurement to existing organisation-wide objectives, you detail the impact it’s going to have both internally and externally.
Creating both a tangible set of outcomes for the organisation – as well as ensuring any sustainability objectives don’t sit isolated where they can either be forgotten or fail – has dual benefits.
Once you have aligned the strategies, state how these outcomes are going to be tracked and measured. This will establish expectations for future reports to the C-suite.
2. Prepare to present
As with any other pitch, negotiation, or meeting, being prepared is vital to making the most of your time with your stakeholders. To start, you need to understand your audience – who are the key decision-makers in the room? The C-suite will be made up of a diverse set of personalities and backgrounds, so getting as much information as possible is going to help.
Understand the information they need, and how it should be presented. Do they want a detailed slide deck? Or a discussion-based presentation? In some situations, telling the broader story is appropriate, while in others, a presentation based on hard facts and numbers – one that details the key impacts for the company – is better.
Remember, you are probably one of several presentations on the day, so use your time wisely. Deliver the information the group needs to make a decision, even if that decision happens after you have left the room.
3. Don’t overstretch yourself
You are only going to have a short time to convey a lot of information on a complex topic. However, that doesn’t mean you need to share every piece of information you know on sustainable procurement at once. This is the first step in a long process, so start with a high-level picture of the whole program. If you are successful, you will have more time to go into more detail.
Whether you choose a presentation or a discussion, allow time for plenty of questions rather than talking the whole time yourself. Make sure you engage your audience and come prepared with answers to the most likely questions. That way you’ll leave them with the best information you can.
4. Master your soft skills
Whether focusing on the big picture or presenting facts and figures, you need to get your message across. Interpersonal skills are crucial to ensuring people understand the concept of sustainable procurement. It is a broad topic, with several different definitions. Therefore, you need to to communicate your information clearly and concisely.
Leverage good communication skills to detail the business case for sustainability, but avoid business and sustainability jargon. And once you get the program up and running, your collaboration skills will be required to bring all the key stakeholders together. Show the C-suite how you are going to use your skills to push sustainable procurement across the organisation.
5. Spell out the benefits
The C-suite members are undoubtedly switched on to key global topics. However, don’t assume they know everything about sustainable procurement, as you may miss key details that can help your case. It doesn’t hurt to remind them of all the benefits a successful sustainable procurement program can bring.
These can include cost reduction, reduced supply chain risk, increased compliance with legislation, and reduced ethical sourcing risks, and avoiding potential company brand damage. Sustainable procurement can help create a competitive advantage in a busy market. What’s more, it can attract new investors and employees who want to work for a company with good sustainability credentials.
By detailing these, it will help you make a compelling case for making investment and resources available, as well as being able to link to the organisation’s long-term plans.
A Step Up
There you have it – our top tips that should help you deliver the perfect pitch to the C-suite! There’s one last thing to remember, and for once it’s a positive.
Sustainable procurement is a hot topic now and the focus and interest on it is only growing.
More and more organisations are kicking off programs and initiatives and leaders recognise the need to be doing this, not only for the benefits above, but because it’s the right thing to do. So when it comes to your pitch bear in mind you have a step up before you start because of this. It’s just up to you to land the pitch to bring the right program for your organisation to life.
We know sustainable procurement has big pay-offs.
That’s why this year’s Big Ideas Summit Chicago will focus on sustainability. We’re ready to empower businesses to lead the charge to establish greener supply chains and procurement processes.
Our Big Ideas will be delivered by internationally renowned speakers to our fully digital event. So what are you waiting for? Register today to secure your place!
