Being an international organisation that has strategically committed to sustainability (cf. criterion 1), INPACS addresses various aspects of sustainability along the value chain:

Product Management
The decisions of the product management and purchasing team as well as the waste management at the customers' site have a crucial impact on the disposal and recycling of the materials used and a significant environmental impact. Therefore, circular considerations are integrated in the decision-making processes of the product management and purchasing as well as customer consultancy. Our range already includes many environmentally friendly alternatives with appropriate certification (Eco-labels), but in the future we will focus on more transparency about relevant environmental factors within our assortment and foster range expansion regarding reusability, recyclability, biodegradability and a minimum climate-impact.

From the cooperation with suppliers and manufacturers on a global scale derive social and environmental responsibility regarding the production of the traded goods. This responsibility is formalised in the Supplier Code of Conduct, which defines the basic principles and requirements that INPACS places upon its suppliers regarding obligations to humans and the environment. Compliance with the Supplier Code of Conduct is measured using EcoVadis. EcoVadis is an independent platform for recording, evaluating and disclosing the sustainability performance of companies in the fields of environment, labour & human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. Our suppliers are on an obligatory base asked to create respective transparency on their performance. In case of uncertainty regarding conformity, a personal inspection will take place. The results are integrated into the supplier dialogue in order to promote a cooperative improvement of sustainability performance.

With regard to the wholesale operations in over 35 countries, the task is not just to guide the development and growth path for the INPACS members, but to support them in pursuing the group-wide strategy including sustainability as one strategic pillar. The formal basis for common social, environmental and ethical standards is recorded in the Company Policy and the Code of Ethics. Compliance with these Ethical Codes is also measured using EcoVadis, whereby from 2021 on all INPACS members are on an obligatory base asked to create transparency on their performance in the above mentioned fields. In case of constantly low performance, a local audit will take place.

The strategic course on sustainability shapes the dialogue with the customers more and more. The advice on procurement optimization with cost-saving effects has now been supplemented by recommendations on product substitutions for more ecological alternatives, order bundling for more greenhouse gas-efficient delivery and waste management in the sense of promoting circular economy.