Global P&SC Awards: Hilton Wins Supply Chain Sustainability
Hilton’s Supply Management (HSM) division has won the Supply Chain Sustainability Award at the Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards — hosted by Procurement Magazine and Supply Chain Digital — highlighting its efforts in advancing supply chain sustainability.
HSM has made big sustainability strides, evidenced by an EcoVadis Gold Medal that places it in the top 5% of companies assessed for sustainability.
With a network spanning more than 3,000 suppliers and 17,000 customers, Hilton is using its global influence to implement sustainable practices across the board.
HSM’s strategy is multi-faceted, focusing on responsible sourcing, waste reduction and forward-thinking partnerships, with ambitious goals such as reducing landfill waste from managed operations by 50% by 2030.
To achieve this, Hilton has made several practical changes, including switching to bulk bathroom amenities across its properties and launching a Renovation Waste Diversion Guide to minimise waste from renovation projects.
HSM has also made notable progress in responsible sourcing. For example, it has transitioned 1.4 million pounds of breakfast sausage to group-housed pork in the US, improving animal welfare standards. In the Asia-Pacific region, 34% of its seafood is now certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council and Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
Hilton is also making strides in supplier diversity, with a 47% year-on-year increase in spending on diverse suppliers in 2023, totalling US$467m.
This achievement placed Hilton at the top of Fair360's 2024 Top 50 Companies for Supplier Fairness list.
Innovation is central to HSM’s strategy. The company partnered with Tesla to develop the largest planned electric vehicle charging network in the hospitality industry and has collaborated with Rain Bottling Company to make recyclable aluminium water bottles more accessible in its hotels.
One of Hilton’s more creative sustainability efforts is its waste reduction programme, which connects Hilton properties with animal shelters across North America.
Through this initiative, Hilton repurposes retired terry products, such as towels and bedding, to support animal shelters. This effort is expected to benefit 70,000 shelter animals while diverting more than 140,000 pounds of waste from landfills.
The awards
Launched in 2024, The Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards 2024 debuted at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London on 24 September.
The comprehensive programme acknowledges companies, professionals and projects that have demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation and strategic thinking in a multitude of categories.
The awards celebrate the best companies, professionals and projects in procurement and supply chain and offer free entry for charities and NGOs.
“It was an honour to spotlight such a wide range of incredible companies at the inaugural Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards,” says Glen White, CEO of BizClik, Procurement Magazine and Supply Chain Digital.
“At a time where it is crucial that companies are getting their global sourcing, risk and resilience and technology strategies right, it's important to celebrate the successes of those who have implemented and developed the key supply chain, procurement and logistics programmes, especially when it has a positive impact on sustainable supply chains in the future.
“To host the awards during Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London is an incredible moment for the sector to celebrate, we encourage many more companies to enter our Awards for 2025.
“Thanks to every company that entered — it's important that you stay focused, motivated and continuously innovative and I am excited to see so much more of generative AI when we meet again in a year.
“And a big congratulations to every company who entered, those that are highly commended and of course to our 14 winners — we appreciate your input more than you know.”
The Supply Chain Sustainability Award
Recognising the companies that showcase outstanding commitment to ESG practices in the supply chain, fostering innovation for a sustainable future.
- How does the company demonstrate a commitment to minimising environmental impact and promoting sustainability throughout its supply chain processes?
- What measures does the company take to ensure ethical and responsible sourcing, including fair labour practices and transparency in its supply chain?
- How does the company promote social and economic development within the communities it operates in, especially those within its supply chain network?
- To what extent does the company encourage innovation and collaboration to drive sustainable practices and create positive change within the broader supply chain industry?
The shortlisted companies included:
- HH Global
- Hilton
- Huel
- NHS England
- Qalara (Mesindus Ventures Limited)
Highly Commended: Huel & HH Global
Two companies, HH Global and Huel, have recently introduced significant initiatives to boost sustainability and ESG standards in their supply chains.
HH Global has launched its Sustainable Procurement Framework (SPF), a technology-driven platform designed to improve suppliers’ ESG credentials. Since its launch in May 2022, the SPF has onboarded more than 1,000 suppliers from 55 countries, representing a spend of US$1.3bn.
Developed with partners like Support the Goals and the British Standards Institute, the SPF offers a user-friendly interface that auto-fills supplier data and provides real-time ESG maturity rating updates. This framework allows companies to assess and enhance their sustainability efforts effectively.
Huel, a nutrition company, has introduced a five-pillar sustainability strategy, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
This strategy covers product development, ethical sourcing, manufacturing processes, consumer engagement and corporate social responsibility.
As part of this plan, Huel has established a carbon footprint threshold for all its products. The company reports that the average Huel meal now has a footprint of 0.4kg CO₂e, a 70% reduction compared to the average UK lunch.
Both companies highlight collaboration as key to success in sustainability. HH Global’s SPF provides tools and resources to suppliers at no cost, aiming to help them improve their ESG maturity. On the other hand, Huel works closely with suppliers to adopt regenerative agricultural practices, including a trial of planting clover alongside oats to reduce the use of nitrogen fertiliser.
These initiatives mark a shift in the procurement and supply chain sector towards more comprehensive and collaborative approaches to sustainability. By focusing on supplier development and innovative sourcing, HH Global and Huel are not only enhancing their own ESG performance but also driving broader industry changes.
The Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards 2024
Thanks to our esteemed panel of industry leaders who judged the awards:
- Jim Townsend, VP of Property & Procurement at Asda
- Alisa Bornstein, Chief Procurement Officer at Visa
- Daniel Weise, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group
- Benn Godfrey, Vice President of Procurement at Rolls Royce
- Roger Waring, Head of Procurement at UK Power Networks
- Jacqui Rock, Chief Commercial Officer at NHS England
- David Loseby, Professor of Research Impact in Supply Chain Management at Leeds University Business School
- Sheri Hinish, Principal/Senior Partner, Global Consulting Sustainability Technology and Ecosystems Leader at EY
- Brooke DiNatale, SVP of Global Treasury Solutions at Mastercard
The full list of awards categories for 2024 is:
- Procurement Transformation Award
- Digital Supply Chain
- Global Logistics Award
- Supplier Diversity Award
- Supply Chain Innovation
- Supply Chain Sustainability
- Procurement Technology
- Procurement Consultancy
- Future Leader
- Executive of the Year
- Project of the Year
- Lifetime Achievement
- Social Enterprise
- Start-Up
Essential diary dates for 2024 and 2025…
Sustainability LIVE continues to expand its events with more to come in 2024 and 2025, discover our essential diary dates below.
2024 diary dates:
- Sustainability LIVE: Diversity & Inclusion | 12 November 2024
- NEW | The CSO Network
- NEW | ClimateTech Digital
- NEW | Scope3 Magazine
2025 diary dates:
- Sustainability LIVE Malta | 20th February 2025
- Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero | 5-6 March 2025
- Sustainability LIVE Singapore | 18 March 2025
- Sustainability LIVE Dubai | 22 April 2025
- Sustainability LIVE Chicago | 4-5 June 2025
- Sustainability LIVE London | 9-10 September 2025
- Sustainability & ESG Awards | 10 September 2025
- Sustainability LIVE: DE&I | 11 November 2025
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