Public procurement can significantly influence the sustainability of products, services, and practices by incorporating sustainability criteria into the procurement process. This approach can promote more environmentally friendly and socially responsible business practices among suppliers, reduce waste and emissions, promote transparency and accountability, drive innovation, encourage sustainable resource use, and strengthen local economies.
Here are some ways public procurement can help with sustainability:
Setting sustainability requirements: Public procurement can include specific sustainability criteria as a requirement for suppliers, which encourages sustainable practices and eco-friendly products. This may include criteria related to energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, recyclability, and social responsibility.
Life-cycle costing: Public procurement can take into account the entire life-cycle cost of a product or service, including its environmental and social impacts. By considering factors like energy consumption, maintenance costs, and disposal methods, procurement decisions can prioritise more sustainable options that have long-term economic and environmental benefits.
Green public procurement (GPP): This approach prioritizes purchasing products and services with minimal environmental impact. GPP policies can require that environmental criteria be considered in procurement decisions across a wide range of products, including ICT services, educational support software, and infrastructure. GPP promotes the demand for greener products and encourages innovation in sustainable technologies.
Supplier selection: Public procurement processes can evaluate suppliers based on their sustainability performance. This includes considering suppliers' environmental management systems, certifications, eco-labels, social responsibility practices, and compliance with relevant regulations. Such evaluation mechanisms ensure that suppliers with strong sustainability credentials are favoured in the procurement process.
Collaboration and knowledge sharing: Public procurement frameworks can collaborate with other government entities, organisations, and experts to share best practices, knowledge, and resources related to sustainable procurement. This collaboration can help develop guidelines and standards that promote sustainability in procurement processes.
By leveraging public procurement as a strategic tool, governments can drive sustainability in various sectors, support the growth of sustainable industries, and contribute to achieving environmental and social objectives.
To learn more about how the Everything ICT public procurement framework can help you with sustainable procurement, contact us today.