The Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN) has recognised Office Depot’s Director of Environmental Strategy, Yalmaz Siddiqui, as “Responsible Purchaser of the Year.”

A panel of judges comprised of green purchasing professionals selected four individuals and organizations from among more than 200 organisational members of the Responsible Purchasing Network. These individuals were honoured for their outstanding commitment to using the power of purchasing to advance social responsibility and ecological sustainability. The awards were presented at the Seattle Green Festival on March 28, 2009.

According to Chris O’Brien, Senior Director of the Responsible Purchasing Network, “Yalmaz’s work developing the 2009 Office Depot Green Book catalog of green office products demonstrates his extraordinary commitment to advancing sustainable procurement. Yalmaz sought RPN input for the standards and specifications portion of the new Green Book and then implemented many of our key recommendations.”