Project of the Year: HSM Wins at The Global P&SC Awards

Hilton Supply Management has won the Project of the Year Award at The Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards.

Hilton Supply Management (HSM) has successfully implemented a groundbreaking terry product upgrade across its global portfolio, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and guest satisfaction. The project, which addressed Hilton's top opportunity to enhance the guest experience, has resulted in a US$45mn investment in diverse spend and a comprehensive overhaul of the company's towel programme.

Working with minority-owned supplier Sobel Linen, HSM developed a new terry product incorporating innovative Hi-Bloom Technology. This proprietary manufacturing process not only creates plusher towels through washing but also offers significant operational water and energy savings. The transition to 100% USA-grown cotton, certified by the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, has further bolstered the sustainability credentials of the project.

The procurement strategy employed by HSM was notable for its transparent cost modelling approach, a first for an RFP of this scale in the hospitality industry. This innovative practice allows for future price adjustments based on various factors, including equipment purchases and fluctuating cotton costs.

The project has yielded impressive results, including a category-wide average of 7% savings across all Hilton brands and a 60% reduction in SKUs. The new towels are engineered to last up to 50% longer than their predecessors, further reducing long-term operating costs and raw material consumption.

Perhaps most significantly, HSM has implemented a zero-waste solution for retired towels. In partnership with Mars Petcare and Greater Good Charities, Hilton has established a nationwide terry recycling pipeline, donating used towels to over 580 animal shelters. This initiative is expected to divert 140,000 pounds of terry from landfills, benefiting up to 70,000 shelter animals.

This comprehensive approach to procurement and supply chain management demonstrates that ESG alignment and savvy sourcing can go hand in hand, setting a new standard for the hospitality industry.

“It was an honour to spotlight such a wide range of incredible companies at the inaugural Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards,” said 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 & 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 programs, 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 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,” said 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 & 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 programs, 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 Project of the Year Award

Recognising exceptional procurement and supply chain projects that demonstrate innovation, efficiency, collaboration, and measurable impact on performance.

• What were the goals and objectives of the procurement and supply chain project, and how effectively were they achieved?
• In what ways did the project demonstrate innovation, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in procurement and supply chain processes?
• How did the project successfully leverage collaboration and stakeholder engagement to achieve its desired outcomes?
• What measurable impact did the project have on improving overall procurement and supply chain performance?

The shortlisted projects included-

• GEP
• HH Global
• Hilton
• Huel
• Packsize

Highly Commended: Huel (Pre-blend E2E cost optimisation) & HH Global (Conscious Creative Program)

Two innovative projects have made the shortlist for Project of the Year at the Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards, showcasing how strategic initiatives can drive significant cost savings and sustainability improvements.

Huel, the fast-growing nutrition brand, undertook a radical overhaul of its Ready-to-Drink (RTD) pre-blend process. By splitting out bulk components and supplying them separately to bottlers, Huel halved the capacity required for pre-blending. This change, coupled with optimising duty exposure through sourcing EU-origin pea protein, netted annual savings of approximately $1.6 million.

The cross-functional project team, comprising supply chain, technical and R&D experts, collaborated closely with external partners to validate and implement the changes. Beyond cost savings, the initiative deepened Huel's understanding of its end-to-end supply chain and strengthened relationships with suppliers and customs advisors.

Meanwhile, HH Global launched its Conscious Creative Program, aiming to educate and empower designers on sustainability principles. The programme includes AI-powered sustainable materials inspiration, CO2 calculation tools, and an industry-first scorecard methodology for measuring sustainable design.

In its first six months, over 500 designers across 64 countries have been onboarded, generating more than 1,300 scorecards. The initiative has already been embedded into five client sustainability strategies, enabling the creation of circular design baselines and measurable KPIs.

Both projects demonstrate how procurement and supply chain teams can drive innovation and efficiency while addressing sustainability challenges. They highlight the importance of cross-functional collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and leveraging technology to achieve tangible results in cost reduction and environmental impact.

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 Commerical 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…

Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE continues to expand its repertoire of events, with more to come in 2024 and 2025. Discover our essential diary dates below.

2024 diary dates:

• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London | 24-25 September 2024
• Procurement & Supply Chain Awards | 24 September 2024
• Manufacturing & Mobility LIVE | 6 November 2024

2025 diary dates: 

• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Singapore | 11 February 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: Scope 3 | 5-6 March 2025
• Manufacturing & Mobility LIVE | 5-6 March 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Dubai | 29 April 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Chicago | 4-5 June 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London | 23-24 September 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain Awards | 24 September 2025
• Manufacturing & Mobility LIVE Chicago | 4 November 2025

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