Sustainable Supply Chains through Innovation (SUSCIN) has been created to deliver an eco-innovative programme of activity, which engages with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the public sector and its supply chain throughout the South East, from 2009 to 2011.
SUSCIN has been funded by South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the South East ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007–2013.
The key aims and objectives of the project are detailed below:
Building awareness of sustainable procurement
SUSCIN will encourage buyers to embrace the sustainability agenda and to recognise how sustainable procurement is a tool to delivering wider social, environmental and economic benefits. Sustainable Supply Chains brokerage events will be organised to facilitate series of networking opportunities for SMEs and buyers. These events will broaden buyers’ knowledge of sustainable products and services, and stimulate current and future markets for sustainable solutions.
Building the skills of buyers in sustainable procurement
In order to build the skills of buyers in sustainable procurement, sustainable procurement training courses will be run throughout the region. These training courses will help organisations meet the demands of sustainable public procurement.
To complement the training courses, web-based sustainable procurement tools will be developed to help organisations self-assess their sustainable procurement practice against the Flexible Framework
Building skills and innovation capacity of local SMEs
SUSCIN will provide support to SMEs, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic companies (BAMEs) and social enterprises in the South East region focused on the development of innovative sustainable products and services. The GreenThink! © programme will provide a mechanism for SMEs to increase their competitive edge by linking resource and energy efficiency to product and service innovation. In addition, GreenThinks! © will also provide SMEs with guidance on the quantification of the sustainability impacts of their product in order to market them effectively to potential buyers.
The GreenThinks! © programme will be complimented by Forward Commitment Procurement services aimed at stimulate SMEs to develop environmental products, organisations in the region. Forward Commitment Procurement is a new approach to procuring environmental services and products that effectively harnesses innovation to improve public services. This innovative means of matching demand with supply is now being used to stimulate new sustainable solutions and better value for money.
SUSCIN has been funded by South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the South East ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007–2013.
 
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