Sustainable Procurement Fellowship

Accelerating the adoption of sustainable procurement to drive the transition to an equitable, low-carbon, circular economy.

Meet the SPF Alumni

Apply to be a Fellow

CBSR’s Sustainable Procurement Fellowship (SPF), developed in partnership with HP, is a low-cost way for sustainability, finance and procurement professionals in your organizations to engage with Canada’s sustainable procurement leaders, access new tools, and develop a procurement plan. Participating in the program will help you advance critical procurement and sourcing policies and activities, as well as a net-zero future.   

What is the SPF? 

The Sustainable Procurement Fellowship is a 5-month mostly virtual program consisting of 10 workshops and 40 participants. There will be one in-person workshop held at GLOBE Forum in Vancouver from February 13 – 15, 2023.  

Fellows will convene in a facilitated workshop on a bi-weekly basis to explore challenges and opportunities related to sustainable procurement to help fellows reach the ultimate goal of creating a sustainable procurement plan that can be implemented at their organization.  

Why become a fellow?  

• Lead in Your Field: Become a champion and recognized leader for bridging sustainability with procurement and reducing your scope 3 emissions.  
• Expand Your Network: Establish new relationships in other industries and your value chain.  Connect with sustainability leaders from across Canada who bring their unique experiences and perspectives to the fellowship. 
• Access New Tools: Discover a variety of procurement-related tools that mobilize supply chain transformation strategies aimed to mitigate carbon and increase circularity. 
• Develop Professionally: Build your knowledge with guidance from key leaders with decades of expertise.  Improve engagement, coordination and cooperation within your internal teams and across your value chain.  
• Create a Procurement Plan for Your Organization: Generate project-based outcomes by vetting procurement-based initiatives with a diverse group of sustainability and procurement leaders. 

SPF 2024 Program Details

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CBSR?  

• CBSR is Canada’s only membership association for companies co-creating a sustainable, equitable future.  CBSR is a pioneer in championing the idea that businesses do better – by every measure – when they operate in a socially and environmentally responsible way.  
• CBSR provides the tools, resources, peer-to-peer networking opportunities, workshops and events that help members build capacity in corporate sustainability. 

How has CBSR built diversity into the fellowship and organization? 

• The Sustainable Procurement Fellowship was created as an opportunity to drive meaningful change through collaboration across a wide range of industries and organizations.  
• We are looking to create the most diverse cohort possible; we seek individuals from differing ethnicities, abilities, identities, ages, industries and professions.
• We have included diversity as a consideration for the fellow selection process and created a handful of fellow positions available for bursaries to ensure that financial limitations will not be a barrier to inclusion.

What is the cost?

• The Sustainable Procurement Fellowship has an enrollment fee of $3,500.  We have bursaries available to ensure that financial cost is not a barrier to participation. 

Who should apply? 

• You!  We are looking for sustainability professionals with diverse experiences and perspectives to transform supply chains across several industries, cut GHG emissions, and lead the transition to an equitable, net-zero economy.  

• Whether you are passionate about tackling climate change, searching for ways to ensure your company meets its targets, or looking to gain new relevant skills that will help you as an aspiring leader, the Sustainable Procurement Fellowship is here to help you succeed. 
• It is important to us that fellows are senior enough at their organization to have the influence, authority and reach required to drive change.  

What is the application process? 

• The application is an online form completed by prospective fellows.  Applications are due by October 31, 2023.  

Where will meetings be held? 

• Almost all meetings will be held virtually except for one in-person meeting, which will take place in conjunction with GLOBE Forum from February 13-15 in Vancouver, BC. 

What are the responsibilities of a fellow? 

• Participation in every session and commitment to completing homework assignments on time. 
• Actively working to advance a sustainable procurement initiative at your organization. 

What is the selection process/how are fellows selected? 

• CBSR and the selection committee will review submitted applications and select 40 individuals based on their availability, organizational support, and overall diversity.  

Do I need Organizational Support to participate in the program?  

• Yes, we request confirmation that your senior leadership has been notified of the SPF program and that they support your participation. You will be asked to confirm organizational support as part of the on-boarding process. 
• We know that change does not happen without organization-wide support and buy-in, so it is vital that all SPF fellows discussed the program with their organization and received support to commit time, resources and effort towards advancing sustainable procurement.  
• Every fellow must commit fully to the program, we have the opportunity to significantly impact Canada’s net-zero journey and signal to the Canadian economy that sustainable procurement is the new standard. 

What is the length of a fellow term? 

• The fellow term is from January 2024 to May 2024. 

What is the time commitment of being a fellow? 

• Fellows will be expected to attend 10 virtual workshops held bi-weekly on Wednesdays between January 2024 and May 2024.  Fellows will be expected to complete homework assignments that accompany the workshop curriculum, approximately 2 hours of additional work before each workshop.  
• Fellows have the opportunity to attend one in-person event, GLOBE Forum, from February 13 – 15, 2023, in Vancouver, BC.   

What is sustainable procurement? 

• Sustainable procurement ensures that buyers obtain the best value for money when purchasing the most sustainable goods and services from the most sustainable suppliers in support of their organization’s stated purpose and strategic goals.  
• This means counting all the costs included in a good or service, not just the initial purchase price, but the impact that the purchase and supplier have on people and the environment.