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Corporate Champion Guide

The Corporate Champion Guide presents large manufacturers with key steps to participating in the Green Suppliers Network, including resources for nominating Partners, confirming Partners participation, and recognizing Partner achievements.

Step 1. Identify and Recruit Key Suppliers

You know best who would benefit most from participating in a Green Suppliers Network review. In the past, large manufacturers have chosen suppliers based on:

  • Product lines
  • Role of supplier (critical v. noncritical)
  • Financial challenges
  • Environmental challenges
  • Likeliness to participate
  • Other defined goals (e.g., minority-owned suppliers to work toward diversity goals)

Organize an informational meeting for your suppliers or participate in a Web cast hosted by EPA and NIST to introduce them to the benefits of joining the Green Suppliers Network. Send out an e-mail invitation along with the supplier fact sheet that provides an overview of the technical review process and explains how the Lean and Green Advantage will reduce costs and enhance their competitiveness. It's important to include both purchasing and operations staff from your suppliers. A few days before the meeting, send a reminder e-mail with the meeting date and time.

If you conduct your own meeting, EPA and NIST staff members are available to participate either via Web cast or in person to help educate suppliers about the Green Suppliers Network Lean and Green Advantage.

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Step 2. Confirm Suppliers' Participation

After the meeting, send a quick e-mail to EPA with the number that attended the presentation.

Send a follow-up e-mail to suppliers and continue to work with interested suppliers. Direct suppliers to the Green Suppliers Network website to complete the Partner Commitment Form.

E-mail your final list of confirmed suppliers to EPA. Once your suppliers complete the commitment form, EPA will send them a welcome e-mail and direct them to the website for tools and resources to guide them through the Green Suppliers Network review process.

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Step 3. Get Results

EPA will notify you when Partner reviews are complete. We encourage you to send an e-mail to your suppliers thanking them for their participation in the Green Suppliers Network reviews and offering to share implementation resources as available and appropriate.

Once five of your suppliers have completed the technical review process, EPA will provide you with aggregated results showing the potential savings from all of the identified lean and green opportunities. Aggregated actual results will be available within one year of completing the technical reviews.

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Step 4. Recognize Your Suppliers' Achievements

One way to motivate supplier participation is to recognize their partnership with the Green Suppliers Network and their success in reducing costs and improving the efficiency of their operations. In addition, EPA recommends that you look for opportunities to incorporate the Green Suppliers Network into your procurement strategy and consider other ways to integrate the Lean and Green Advantage throughout your supply chain.

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