The Challenge A national association representing building-materials manufacturers needed a sector strategy to lift sustainability performance across members operating at very different maturity levels. The sector faces well-known geographic “hotspots” and supply-chain risks — including child labour, pollution, community impacts, and weak oversight in parts of the upstream — and buyers in international markets were raising expectations for due diligence and disclosure.

Our Approach ProcureStrategic Insight assessed the sustainability maturity of member companies through a structured diagnostic covering governance, procurement and supplier due diligence, environmental performance, labour and human rights, and community impact. We mapped material and geographic risk hotspots, then co-designed an association sustainability framework that set a common baseline and a phased roadmap.Key deliverables included:

• A sector Code of Conduct and minimum requirements for members.

• A risk-based supplier due-diligence toolkit aligned with UNGPs and OECD guidance.

• Practical tools for lifecycle and hotspot analysis, supplier self-assessments, and monitoring protocols.

• A capacity-building programme for procurement leads and plant managers.

• A governance model (steering group + KPIs) to track progress and share good practice across the membership.

  
  

The Impact The association established a credible, shared baseline that moved members from ad-hoc initiatives to consistent, risk-aware practice. Members now apply a common due-diligence approach in high-risk geographies and materials, improving buyer confidence and readiness for evolving market and regulatory expectations. Knowledge-sharing and joint supplier engagement are accelerating uplift across the sector, creating measurable, sector-level progress rather than isolated company efforts.