Sustainable Procurement Adding Value to Consumers in Times of Economic Crisis

Pp: 145-159 (15)

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Abstract

Sustainable Procurement has been an excellent tool for companies to provide solutions to consumers where cost, quality, production with less material, energy, water, waste and pollution, delivery, and recycling are constantly optimized. The economic crisis has made some consumers more demanding and some of those accustomed to sustainability are unable to afford solutions they once afforded. After discussing the characteristics of the changing consumer, sustainable procurement strategy factors, and consumption and sustainability (Sanne 2002), while making reference to numerous existing studies and literature reviews, we propose a new four level model for sustainable procurement that captures a wider spectrum of consumers to include low and medium income consumers.

Keywords: Sustainable Procurement, Consumers, Economic Crisis, Cost, Quality, Production, Waste, Pollution, Recycling, Consumer Sustainability, Sustainability, Sustainable Solutions, Procurement Strategy, Sustainable Procurement Model, Consumer Income, Market Segmentation, Triple Value Proposition, New Consumer, Cost-cutting, Innovation, Regulation/Governance, Consumer Perception.