Care providers are increasingly being asked by regulators and commissioners to demonstrate how they are embedding sustainability, governance, and social responsibility within their organisations. One practical way to evidence this - particularly under the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Well-led domain - is by showing how ESG considerations are built into supplier relationships.

A simple but effective approach is for providers to request ESG or sustainability policies from their suppliers . This helps demonstrate that the organisation is considering the environmental and social impact of its wider supply chain, not just its internal operations.

Many providers are now beginning to:

• Request ESG, sustainability, or environmental policies from key suppliers as part of due diligence.
• Store these documents centrally so they can be referenced as evidence during CQC inspections.
• Introduce ESG as a standard onboarding requirement for new suppliers , ensuring any new partnership aligns with the organisation’s sustainability commitments.
• Review supplier ESG information annually , creating a light-touch process where suppliers confirm or update their policies each year.

This approach shows the CQC that sustainability is not a one-off exercise but part of ongoing governance and procurement practice . It demonstrates:

• Forward planning and responsible procurement
• Consideration of environmental impact
• Alignment with wider NHS and health and social care sustainability ambitions
• Integrated governance across the organisation

Even a simple annual process - such as requesting suppliers to confirm their ESG approach via email or submitting a short policy document - can provide clear evidence that the provider is embedding sustainability and ethical practice into everyday business decisions .

Providers working with organisations that actively measure environmental impact, such as those supplying refurbished equipment or reporting carbon savings, can also use this supplier information as supporting evidence when demonstrating environmental responsibility during inspections .

Over time, embedding ESG requirements into supplier onboarding and annual reviews creates a structured and repeatable governance process , strengthening evidence for inspections and supporting the sector’s wider shift towards more sustainable care delivery.

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