Sustainable Public Procurement Programme

About

Accelerating the uptake and implementation of sustainable procurement at local, national and regional levels worldwide

Established in 2014, the One Planet Sustainable Public Procurement programme, envisions a world in which environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainability are embedded in public procurement policies, strategies, processes and practices as a means for promoting efficiency, value for public spending, good governance and integrity in public procurement.

The Sustainable Public Procurement Programme operates as a global multi-stakeholder collaborative platform, that brings together and scales up existing initiatives and partnerships and facilitates new projects and activities with the potential to accelerate the transition to sustainable consumption and production by setting the agenda and implementing sustainable public procurement as well as monitoring progress towards SDG12. 

Together with the five other programmes of the One Planet Network, the Sustainable Public Procurement programme serves as an open, inclusive and collaborative platform, and an incubator for ideas, expertise and resources to deliver Sustainable Consumption and Production.

The One Planet Network Sustainable Public Procurement programme amplifies and extends the impact of the Sustainable Public Procurement Initiative (SPPI), which was launched in June 2012 at the Rio+20 Conference, as a continuation of the Marrakech Task Force on Sustainable Public Procurement led by the government of Switzerland from 2005 until 2011.

Why a One Planet (10YFP) Programme on Sustainable Public Procurement?

The share of public procurement in GDP globally averages between 10 and 15% and can go up to 30% in developing countries. By using their purchasing power to choose goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact and positive socio-economic results, public authorities can make an important contribution towards local, regional, national and international sustainability goals.

Public procurement which incorporates sustainability and innovation can:

Address greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water efficiency, local air and water quality, waste generation, the use of hazardous substances and chemicals,the efficient use and sustainable management of natural resources as well as support circular economy;

Encourage a diverse base of suppliers, promote fair employment and decent work practices,, responsible business conduct  and ethical sourcing, and foster training opportunities and community benefits;

Create new jobs and opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises.

Through Sustainable Public Procurement, governments can lead by example and deliver key policy objectives and send strong market signals.

A recognised strategic tool for the shift to Sustainable Consumption and Production

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have reiterated the strong link between environmental protection, sustainable development, and public procurement. Goal 12 on sustainable consumption and production patterns calls on the promotion of public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities. The advancement of sustainable public procurement practices is thus recognized as being a key strategic component of the global efforts towards achieving more sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Beyond public purchasing

Sustainable procurement is not only practiced by public authorities. Many different organizations in the private and non-profit sectors are also leveraging procurement processes to focus on sustainability issues. In so doing, they are seeking to reduce their organizations risks, to encourage sustainability in their value chain as part of their social responsibility and citizenship efforts, and, in some cases, to reduce costs.