Cosentino Group Becomes First Company to Obtain ISO 20400:2017 Certification

Cosentino Group has become the first company, both in its sector and worldwide, to obtain ISO 20400:2017 certification as in accordance with the guidelines of the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management (IFPSM), a grouping of 48 Purchasing and Supply Management Associations from all over the world. This achievement recognizes the responsible management and strict principles of sustainability of the Purchasing Department of this Spanish company, both at home and abroad.

ISO 20400:2017 is the most recent development of UNE 15896:2015, also known as the ‘European Purchasing Standard’, which was established in 2007 with the aim of bringing together the best business practices and providing a guide to help all Purchasing departments lead their companies to excellence. ISO20400:2017 on Sustainable Purchasing was issued in 2017 and aims to highlight and establish the contribution of Purchasing to sustainability and corporate social responsibility policies, by requiring such policies to be applied both internally within the company and by its suppliers and clients.

Having conducted an in-depth and pioneering audit process, with the prior collaboration of the consultancy firm Fullstep, Cosentino was able to obtain this certification. It is private in nature and is valid for three years with yearly renewals, as set out by the Association of Purchasing Professionals of Spain (AERCE), and based on the guidelines established by the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management (IFPSM). These entities, therefore, endorse Cosentino’s commitment to sustainable and efficient management for this function and the creation of added value both for its direct value chain and for society as a whole.

Likewise, this certification ratifies good practices and excellence in the company’s activity in this area and its other spheres of influence: commercial, financial, operations, human resources, work environment, etc. In other words, it confirms that Cosentino’s performance in this function improves savings in the different purchasing divisions; resolves anomalous market situations; is capable of developing alternative products and services; improves supplier markets by encouraging co-responsibility; and generates leadership and progress within the organization.

This new ISO 20400:2017 Sustainable Purchasing certification meets the demands and requirements which businesses are now facing: A global and competitive environment demanding real policies to protect the environment, respect people and uphold ethics in business relations. The existence of this Purchasing Standard means that this increasingly important sphere has become a benchmark for good practices for all these requirements. Also of note are the development and reality of Industry 4.0, which also demands the same good work in digital transformation and technological progress.

You may also be interested in this article about OSHA’s request for information on the Silica Standard.