b'BACK TO NAVIGATIONSUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT 2022 AusLSA Member PerformanceThe uptake of sustainable supply chain management programs or policies that address the sustainability impacts resulting from the products and services procured by AusLSA members has grown significantly this year. Eighty-one per cent of firms had sustainable supply chain programs in place or in development. Ninety-three per cent of these firms have now applied these standards to their existing suppliers and when establishing new contracts. Modern Slavery considerations were most popular among the firms with sustainable supply chain programs, with 91 per cent of firms considering them in their procurement decisions. The most popular elements were environmental issues which featured in 86 per cent of the firms procurement choices. The inclusion of indigenous inclusion issues increased to 80 per cent, with 44 per cent of firms seeking goods and services from indigenous suppliers.The most significant change to sustainable procurement has been the preparation for compliance with the Australian governments reporting requirements under their modern slavery legislation (which is next due on 31 March 2023 for most AusLSA members). Fifty-six per cent had commenced their programs to manage the risk of exposure to modern slavery.Challenges and Opportunities For sustainable supply chain management practices to be workable in the business sector, they must be operationally practical, financially viable, and ethically preferable.Making sustainable procurement a practical and low-risk commitment for law firms requires an investment in better information about current products and suppliers and more sustainable alternatives. Law firms can begin by researching and adopting the most applicable and beneficial sustainability certifications for their most significant products.Sustainable supply chain management is still a relatively new practice in Australia, and information about the sustainability impacts of products and the options for more sustainable alternatives is incomplete and often challenging to find and interpret.The Australian Governments recent Modern Slavery legislation and regulations will require most AusLSA members to develop new systems to research and understand and manage their supply chain for modern slavery risks. AusLSA will work with members to share resources and information and look at opportunities to develop tools to manage this process better. The development of these systems can ultimately be recalibrated to deal with different sustainability issues.Future climate change commitments will also provide a likely driver for firms to understand and internalise the greenhouse gas emissions from priority products in their supply chain, both for their own purposes and for the needs of their customers.Like other areas of sustainability, this process is a journey that requires commitment, leadership and innovation. Its a challenge made more accessible by customers like law firms working together and with suppliers to share information, systems and tools to collect and evaluate the sustainability of the products and services they use. This cooperation neednt be limited to the legal sector. Many of the products and services used by the legal sector are identical to those used more broadly in commerce and government.81'