Responsible purchasing refers to the purchase of goods or services from a supplier or service provider selected to minimize environmental and social impacts, and promote good ethical and human rights practices.
These best practices are described in the international ISO 20400 standard. Eco-responsible purchasing is sometimes used to describe a buyer’s preference for goods and services that have a lower environmental impact: short supply chains, eco-designed products, goods and services that consume less energy, water or transport…
The adjective “responsible” refers to corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this sense, responsible purchasing has an ethical dimension. A responsible purchasing policy can also mean giving preference to suppliers and service providers from the social economy (SSE).
