continued education sustainability in
which is why it helps to work with a supplies partner that can do that work for you.”
Pricing is also important, Julie adds. “The environmental impact of everything from toilet paper to computers and furniture has been important to the education sector for years, but the difference now is a is greater understanding that cheap product has a social cost elsewhere in the supply chain,” she says. “Product sourced more sustainably will sometimes carry a higher price tag and this is more widely accepted as a result. “But it’s not always the case that more sustainable products are more expensive than the alternative and it’s a broader picture over a whole contract of supplied goods, taking account of cost to serve, order values, order frequency and so on. It also depends on the product category and the educational establishment’s priorities. For example, if you’re replacing single-use products with something reusable, you may pay more upfront, but over time you will save money.”
More than a trend The drive towards using more sustainable products in education, as with other sectors, is more than just a trend.
“The world is changing,” says Julie. “Sustainable products and practice has to become business as usual because resource is finite and things cannot continue the way they have been.” Steve agrees that sustainability is an established part of the landscape. “Environmental concern is growing all the time and product innovations reflects that,” he says. “Climate change is big news and pressure for sustainable technology in the education sector is influenced by student movements like Fridays for Future and through UK law that scores tenders on product environmental credentials.”
This means that resellers will need to push sustainable products and solutions even more in the future – and seize the opportunities that brings.
Julie Hadley head of corporate social responsibility Evo Group
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