Climate Week NYC: Simplifying Renewable Energy Procurement
Explore key takeaways on supplier engagement, renewable energy procurement, and accelerating Scope 3 decarbonization.
Published:
On Wednesday, September 24th, Green Project Technologies was proud to host a rooftop panel and happy hour during Climate Week NYC, bringing together more than one hundred sustainability leaders to tackle one of the toughest climate challenges: decarbonizing supply chains.
We covered:
What our panelists were currently seeing from companies trying to reduce their supply chain emissions.
How they’re supporting suppliers in calculating their emissions and providing a line of sight to accurate reduction targets.
What corporates often get wrong when trying to engage suppliers.
What role communities and peer groups play in accelerating Scope 3 progress
What our panelists see as the biggest enabler for companies to actually make decarbonization happen across their supply chains.
Our Top Takeaways
1. Procurement's Role is Critical
Reaching net zero requires supplier transformation, not just internal commitments.
Since procurement owns the supplier relationships, they are the natural bridge between sustainability ambitions and real-world change in the supply chain.
Without procurement engagement, supplier action tends to stall.
2. We Need to Move Beyond “Just Asking” Suppliers
Many organizations make the mistake of sending requests for carbon data or reduction plans without providing support.
This approach rarely works because suppliers may lack resources, incentives, or even the capability to respond effectively.
Procurement teams can deploy creative tools that strengthen supplier collaboration and motivation.
Some proven examples include:
Shorter payment terms: Offering quicker cash flow for suppliers who engage in sustainability efforts.
1:1 meetings and joint planning sessions: Building trust and aligning roadmaps for decarbonization.
Preferred supplier status: Giving sustainable suppliers priority in sourcing decisions, which becomes a commercial advantage.
This support signals that sustainability is not just a reporting requirement, but a core factor in business relationships.
3. The Time To ACT is Now.
Companies need to move beyond simply asking suppliers for data and towards taking action — and renewable energy is one of the most scalable ways to create impact across thousands of suppliers to lower your Scope 3 emissions.
If yesterday was the best time to act, the second best time is now.
4. Collaboration Scales Impact
From pooled procurement to shared platforms and sustainability groups such as Scope 3 Peer Group and Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, collective action is the key to moving from pilot projects to value chain-wide results.
Thank you to everyone who joined us during Climate Week NYC 2025 for an evening of ideas, connections, and climate action.
About the author
Lior Torenberg
Marketing
Lior Torenberg is a Content Writer at Green Project Technologies, an AI climate management platform helping businesses of all sizes measure, manage, and reduce emissions across complex global value chains.