Exploring Sustainability in Supply Chains at Teesworks.

Amanda Gardiner and Olivia Gardiner represented Durham Lifting at the Sustainability in Securing Supply Chain Opportunities event, where businesses and industry professionals explored how sustainability could be integrated into future growth and supply chain development.

The event provided valuable insight into the environmental expectations facing suppliers and the practical steps companies could take to reduce emissions, improve transparency and support more sustainable industrial projects.

Building sustainability into supply chain growth

The event focused on how sustainability requirements were becoming an increasingly important part of procurement, supplier selection and long-term project delivery.

For companies supporting construction, offshore energy, manufacturing and infrastructure projects, environmental performance was becoming closely linked to competitiveness and access to future opportunities.

Understanding Environmental Product Declarations

One of the key subjects discussed during the event was the growing use of Environmental Product Declarations, often referred to as EPDs.

These documents communicate verified environmental data about a product, including factors such as raw material use, manufacturing, transport, energy consumption and end-of-life considerations.

For businesses operating within complex industrial supply chains, understanding EPDs can support more informed purchasing decisions and provide customers with clearer evidence of environmental performance.

Decarbonisation across industrial supply chains

Decarbonisation was another central theme, with discussions covering how businesses could reduce emissions while maintaining operational efficiency and competitiveness.

Supply chain emissions are influenced by many areas, including material sourcing, manufacturing methods, energy use, transport, equipment selection and the distance between suppliers and project sites.

Greater collaboration between clients, contractors and suppliers can help identify improvements across the complete project life cycle rather than focusing on individual operations in isolation.

An exclusive tour of the Teesworks site

A highlight of the event was an exclusive tour of the Teesworks site, giving attendees a closer look at the scale of development taking place across the area.

The visit provided context around the opportunities being created for regional businesses and the role local suppliers could play in supporting future energy, manufacturing and infrastructure projects.

Seeing the development firsthand also reinforced the importance of preparing regional supply chains for the environmental, technical and commercial standards expected by major project operators.

Durham Lifting’s approach to sustainable operations

Durham Lifting remains committed to reviewing how sustainability can be integrated across its operations, services and supply chain relationships.

This includes exploring opportunities to improve resource efficiency, reduce unnecessary transport and waste, extend the working life of lifting equipment and support customers with reliable, reusable solutions.

Equipment inspection, maintenance, repair and refurbishment can also play an important role by helping customers keep suitable equipment in service safely rather than replacing it prematurely.

Preparing for future supply chain opportunities

Events such as this help regional businesses better understand the expectations attached to future projects and the evidence that clients may require from their suppliers.

The knowledge gained will support Durham Lifting as it continues to review its environmental performance and explore practical solutions that contribute to a more efficient and responsible supply chain.

We thank the organisers and Teesworks team for an informative event, the opportunity to connect with fellow businesses and the valuable tour of the site.