Maturity assessment
We audit the current state of your procurement function: existing policy, supplier selection criteria, approval workflows and available data. We identify gaps against ISO 20400 and the applicable CSRD/CSDDD requirements.
Compras sostenibles
ISO 20400 — Sustainable Procurement
ISO 20400 transforms your procurement function into a strategic lever: environmental, social and ethical criteria embedded in every sourcing decision. Essential for companies that must respond now to CSRD and the upcoming CSDDD.
ISO 20400:2017 is the first international standard specifically focused on sustainable procurement. Unlike other ISO standards, it sets out guidelines rather than certifiable requirements: it provides a framework that enables any organisation, regardless of size or sector, to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria throughout the entire procurement chain — from purchasing policy to supplier performance evaluation.
Regulatory momentum has turned compliance with this standard from voluntary to strategically essential. The CSRD Directive requires reporting on impacts across the value chain, and the CSDDD — with mandatory due-diligence obligations for large companies and their commercial partners under the revised timeline established by Omnibus I Directive (2026/470) — turns what was once good practice into a legal responsibility. SMEs that wish to remain suppliers to large corporations will need to demonstrate that their purchasing meets sustainable criteria. ISO 20400 is the roadmap for doing so in a structured way.
Summum Calidad works with your organisation from the initial procurement sustainability maturity assessment through to full system implementation, covering procurement team training, the design of supplier evaluation criteria and the construction of performance tracking indicators. Since 2007 we have guided organisations through ISO standard implementation and we know the real obstacles: lack of supplier data, internal resistance to adding criteria to tender processes and difficulty measuring impact. Our methodology tackles all three challenges in a practical way.
The ISO 20400 process.
The process · four stagesSustainable procurement framework design
We draft the sustainable procurement policy aligned with corporate strategy, define risk categories by spend family and build the ESG criteria matrix for supplier evaluation and approval.
Operational implementation
We embed sustainable criteria into tender processes, contracts and supplier records. We train the procurement team and set up performance dashboards with indicators to track the sustainable performance of the supply chain.
Verification and continuous improvement
We conduct an internal audit of the implemented system, produce the sustainable procurement performance report ready for CSRD disclosure and establish the annual review cycle to keep the system live and up to date.
What is included
What ISO 20400 includes.
The operational detail: what we deliver as part of the work and what we keep alive afterwards.
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ISO 20400 maturity assessment
Structured evaluation of the current state of your procurement function against the standard's guidelines, with a prioritised gap map.
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Sustainable procurement policy
Corporate document setting out the principles, scope and commitments of the organisation on responsible sourcing.
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ESG criteria matrix for suppliers
Operational tool with environmental, social and governance criteria by spend category, ready to integrate into tender and supplier approval processes.
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Procurement team training
Hands-on workshop for sourcing staff: sustainability fundamentals, how to apply ESG criteria day to day and how to manage conversations with suppliers.
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Sustainable procurement dashboard
Key performance indicators to measure sustainable spend coverage, the percentage of evaluated suppliers and the evolution of supply chain risks.
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Performance report for CSRD disclosure
Structured document with sustainable supply chain data, ready to be integrated into the sustainability report required by CSRD.
Summum cluster
How it connects with its sisters.
Sustainable procurement is the link between sustainability strategy and daily operations: when CSRD reporting or CSDDD due diligence require legal or technical support, Summum Consultoría and Summum Sistemas complete the picture.
consultoría
Summum consultoría
CSRD reporting requires value-chain data that ISO 20400 helps generate; Summum Consultoría manages disclosure and double materiality.
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ISO 14001 environmental management extends naturally to the supply chain through the environmental criteria of ISO 20400.
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Organisations with ISO 9001 already have a supplier management foundation on which ISO 20400 adds the sustainability layer.
View service →Frequently asked questions about ISO 20400.
Is ISO 20400 a certifiable standard?
No. ISO 20400 is a guidelines standard, not a requirements standard, so there is no official ISO 20400 certificate issued by accredited certification bodies. Some organisations offer second- or third-party conformity assessments or audits, but these should not be confused with an ISO certification equivalent to ISO 9001 or ISO 14001. What the standard does provide is the internationally recognised framework to demonstrate to clients, investors and regulators that your procurement process follows auditable sustainable criteria.
What is the relationship between ISO 20400 and CSRD and CSDDD?
The CSRD Directive requires many companies — and indirectly their suppliers — to report their impacts across the value chain. The CSDDD will go further: large companies will have to conduct due diligence on the environmental and human rights impacts of their commercial partners under the updated schedule set by Omnibus I Directive (2026/470). ISO 20400 provides exactly the system and data you need to respond to both requirements: documented criteria, supplier evaluation and sustainable performance metrics.
How long does implementation take for an SME?
For an SME with between 20 and 100 employees and a medium-sized supply chain, the full process typically takes three to five months. The timeline depends primarily on the existing maturity in supplier management and on the availability of the procurement team for workshops and reviews. Summum Calidad adapts the pace to the organisation's actual calendar.
Does it only apply to large companies with many suppliers?
No. ISO 20400 applies to any organisation, regardless of size or sector. In fact, many SMEs are approaching it because their large clients — who must comply with CSRD or CSDDD — are requesting evidence of sustainable procurement as a condition for remaining on their approved supplier list.
How does ISO 20400 relate to ISO 26000 and ISO 14001?
ISO 20400 was developed as a specific elaboration of the supply chain chapter of ISO 26000 (social responsibility). It shares language and principles but focuses entirely on the procurement process. With ISO 14001 the relationship is complementary: environmental management is extended through ISO 20400 to the supply chain, ensuring that environmental impacts are not 'outsourced' to suppliers.