More and more organizations consider it important to be Corporate Social Responsibility, in order to take into account the effects of their business operations on people, the environment and society.

These organizations aim to contribute to solving social problems, such as air pollution, climate change and poor working conditions. Initially, many companies think of the obvious business processes, such as production and transport. However, CSR can be applied within all business processes, including, for example, Purchasing. In that case, one also speaks of Socially Responsible Procurement (SRP). This requires looking beyond the walls of one's own organization. This is because it concerns achieving social impact at suppliers, in other words in the chain.

For the purchasing department of an organisation, this means that not only the price of what is purchased must be considered, but also the effects on the environment and social aspects. This makes supplier selection for a purchasing department more complex. On the other hand, it also makes the offer for a supplier more complex. How much influence the organization has on the supplier stands or falls with the interdependent. The success of MVI is also linked to this.

If an organization is dependent on a certain supplier, while the company offers nothing for that supplier, it is more difficult for an organization to influence the CSR performance of the supplier. The other way around, of course, the same applies.

It can become even more complex if, for example, the supplier is abroad. Or if the purchasing department is far removed from day-to-day practice, and is not well able to substantively check whether the supplier is actually doing business in a socially responsible manner. In the latter case, having a quality mark can be helpful for a purchaser. A supplier with a CSR quality mark must be a sufficient argument for a purchaser to tick off that requirement in the supplier selection. The CSR quality mark has also included a number of questions in its list of requirements that are specifically about SRI.

What does MVI actually deliver?

Ultimately, both CSR and MVI are not primarily about personal gain for the organization. It is about the deeper idea that it is necessary to make a contribution to society. One of the effects of SRI is to create awareness among suppliers. That is profit for society.

At the same time, it does not have to cost an organization anything. SRP makes a positive contribution to the environment. In addition, it is quite possible that a 'CSR alternative' is just as affordable. Other side effects are also conceivable, such as: better motivated suppliers, higher quality service, higher employee satisfaction.

There is still a world to win when it comes to the more unknown areas of CSR. MVI is one of them. We are convinced that if you think outside the box, there are still enough steps to take in your organization to make even more impact.