November 2025 – Empowering Procurement as a Catalyst for Decarbonization
SPP is proud to share an important update from our global community: the release of Version 2 of the “Guiding Principles for Integrating Carbon Pricing into Procurement” — a strengthened, community-built evolution of the procurement-driven framework first published in January 2025 to help companies embed Carbon Pricing directly into the commercial evaluation criteria for tenders and supplier selection to incentivize suppliers to baseline and reduce their carbon emissions.
When SPP released the first version, it was a bold, first-of-its-kind step by procurement leaders who saw a critical gap that needed closing. Our community recognized a chance to use SPP’s shared space and values to try something new — fully aware that Version 1 was just the beginning. We knew it would need to be tested, questioned, and improved. Back then, the goal was simply to get started. Now, with Version 2, the goal is to offer something stronger, more practical, and shaped by real experience and learning — a version ready for wider use across our community.
With this second release, the Carbon Pricing for Procurement Initiative shifts from concept to practice. Over the past year, more than 100 procurement and sustainability leaders have come together to pilot, iterate, and scale the use of Carbon Pricing in procurement practices across industries. Their collective ambition remains clear: make sustainability a true commercial advantage.
“This is Procurement leading by example — transforming decarbonization from commitment to action,” said Mélissa de Roquebrune, Executive Director of SPP. “Version 2 of the Carbon Pricing Principles is shaped by real-world implementation insights. It shows what is possible when the procurement profession embraces new ways of working: to collaborate across sectors to design, test, and openly share practical learnings.”
From Design to Action: What’s New in Version 2
The updated Principles integrate hands-on learnings from the Carbon Pricing Pilot Group. It provides clearer direction on the “why” and the “how” of embedding Carbon Pricing into procurement decisions, helping organizations move from early experiments to scalable, credible adoption.
New sections include:
- Building the Business Case: Guidance on how to align Carbon Pricing with sustainability strategy, demonstrate business value, and secure internal support.
- Carbon Modelling & Price Definition: Practical steps to prioritize high-impact categories, manage data gaps, and set credible, context-specific Carbon Prices.
- Driving Change Internally: Guidance on governance, capability building, and embedding Carbon Pricing within procurement teams.
- Driving Change Externally: Tools to engage suppliers transparently and collaboratively to ensure fairness and shared progress.
Learning by Doing: Real-World Insights from Industry Leaders
Two early adopters — Haleon and Bayer — are among those already showing how Carbon Pricing can drive meaningful shifts in supplier behavior and procurement decisions. Their examples highlight the “Carbon Cascade Effect” — where procurement choices ripple outward and reshape value chains.
Integrating carbon pricing into sourcing decisions is a true game-changer. Even small steps in this direction can transform the dialogue. The challenge lies in doing so while acknowledging the uncertainties inherent in the underlying data. We remain confident and committed to advancing this important topic further in 2026! – Florian Vollmer, Head of Procurement Sustainability and Risk Management, Bayer
Read Haleon’s and Bayer’s Carbon Pricing case studies → here.
Just as importantly, we’ve learned from those who faced challenges along the way. Their openness and willingness to share what worked — and what didn’t — has been essential in shaping the new version of the Principles. We encourage more procurement organizations to lean in and add their voice to this shared, ongoing journey of “learning by doing.”
Radical Collaboration: A Blueprint for Systemic Change
The Piloting Phase of the Carbon Pricing Initiative has been co-led by participants in the SPP Champions Program, including Haleon and Bayer, facilitated by our partner Bain & Company, and powered by hundreds of cross-industry procurement and sustainability professionals worldwide.
“Scope 3 reduction come with a range of opportunities and challenges across sectors. We are a proud partner of SPP / Carbon Pricing initiative which demonstrates the fantastic power of collaboration in seeking to tackle climate change,” said Anna Mansson, Bain & Co Partner.
“Version 2 of the Carbon Pricing Principles have been designed with a pragmatic lens, both helping companies confirm the various business benefits of such a carbon leadership and providing practical tips to mobilize internal teams as well as their suppliers ecosystem”, said Xavier Houot, Bain & Co Partner.
Together, they are building a global engine of peer-to-peer learning and co-creation. To learn all about this work from it’s launch in 2024 to today, visit → spp.earth.
Share, Learn, and Co-Create
As we celebrate this milestone, SPP invites procurement and sustainability leaders from all sectors to join the Carbon Pricing for Procurement Initiative. Whether you’re already piloting Carbon Pricing, preparing to start, or simply exploring what it could mean for your organization, we welcome you to join the Pilot Group.
It’s a space to exchange experiences, strengthen best practices, and co-develop tools that support global implementation. Your insights, questions, challenges, and learnings will shape what comes next, grow our collective intelligence as a profession— and keep the momentum strong.
SPP also encourages organizations to share their Carbon Pricing journeys in The Guide, our growing library of real-world procurement insights designed to help others learn and scale solutions more quickly.
And if you’ve identified a shared challenge — or a bold new idea — beyond Carbon Pricing, we invite you to propose a new Initiative for Impact. Whether it addresses a persistent industry barrier or introduces a breakthrough concept, the SPP community can help you connect with the right partners to bring it to life.
Sign up for the Carbon Pricing Pilot Group and submit your idea for a new Initiative for Impact → here.
#Procure Tomorrow.
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Contact: Kathrin Decker, Deputy Director, Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP)
Email: kathrin@spp.earth / Website: www.spp.earth
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About the Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP)
SPP is an international grassroots and non-profit organization for procurement professionals, academics, and practitioners, driving awareness and knowledge on responsible sourcing practices and empowering people in procurement. With more than 20,000 committed ambassadors, SPP fosters the positive impact of procurement. The pledge is based on the United Nations Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals and centers around five key principles of which the pledge comprises. These SPP principles set the frame and the tone for our way of collaboration, and how we collectively drive and thrive towards our vision that all individuals acting within global supply chains across the world will apply Sustainable Procurement practices by 2030. Learn more at spp.earth or LinkedIn – and join the community.
