Pooling sustainable procurement: Joint initiatives for a more responsible supply chain, Hulo, March 2026

Since 2021, hulo has aimed to optimise the effectiveness of humanitarian aid provided by different humanitarian organisations. As the first humanitarian logistics cooperative, it brings together international and national humanitarian actors around collaborative projects. Its main objective is to provide effective and sustainable aid to communities in emergency situations.

In the same spirit, hulo coordinates Joint Procurement Initiatives (JPIs). At hulo, our aim is to ensure that sustainable procurement is not merely an aspiration, but an implemented approach to working, selecting our suppliers, and organising worldwide and local supply chains.

Hulo’s initiatives to promote sustainable procurement

Setting a minimum ESG threshold in the JPI

Hulo requires that at least 10% of the criteria in its tenders relate to environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. These criteria cover, in particular: the location of operations, energy, waste management, gender and working conditions. These requirements are tailored to local contexts and aim to encourage suppliers to improve their practices.

Listening to and working together with the community

Hulo organises workshops bringing together local suppliers and humanitarian organisations in order to: gain a better understanding of local markets and constraints, identify sustainable alternatives, analyse cost differences, and take cultural realities into account.

The involvement of NGOs, particularly logistics teams and programme teams, is essential to developing the technical specifications of products and services.

Define sustainable lots

Where market conditions allow, hulo creates separate ‘sustainable lots’ within tenders. These include, for example: alternative materials (sugarcane-based paper, recycled plastic), plastic-free products, and equipment with an extended lifespan.

The aim is to promote solutions with a reduced environmental impact whilst remaining suited to operational realities.

Comparing costs: taking total cost of ownership (TCO) into account

The issue of cost is key. To address this, hulo analyses the price differences between sustainable solutions and conventional products by taking into account the total cost of ownership (TCO).

A product that is cheaper to buy may incur higher costs over its lifecycle (energy, maintenance, replacement, waste management), whilst a sustainable product may prove more cost-effective in the long term.

The aim is to provide teams with factual data so that sustainable purchasing becomes standard practice rather than merely an intention.

Digital integration

Hulo is developing its digital platforms to support this transition, including information sheets on sustainable options. These tools are designed to help build the community’s capacity.

Why is sustainable procurement essential?

In the majority of NGOs’ carbon assessments, procurement represents the main source of indirect emissions, linked to the production, transport and end-of-life of goods and services. Reducing their impact is therefore essential to limit the overall environmental footprint of humanitarian aid.

Beyond carbon, procurement decisions directly influence: air and water pollution, waste generation, the consumption of natural resources and the use of hazardous substances.

Opting for products that are more robust, repairable, recyclable or less toxic helps to limit these impacts. In line with the ‘do no harm’ principle, it is essential that humanitarian action does not create new risks in the medium or long term, particularly through single-use products, energy-intensive equipment or poor end-of-life management.

Sustainable procurement also has a social and economic dimension. By favouring local or regional procurement, organisations: support local economies, strengthen existing supply chains, improve people’s living conditions, reduce logistics lead times and sometimes optimise costs.

Sustainable procurement is therefore not a luxury, but a strategic lever for: reducing the environmental footprint, adhering to the ‘do no harm’ principle, improving the quality and sustainability of interventions, supporting local economies and optimising financial resources.

Join a JPI

Please contact the hulo Country Representatives or the environmental team at headquarters for more information.