Sustainable procurement for suppliers to government
The Queensland Government is committed to protecting the environment and doing business with ethical and socially responsible suppliers to foster a viable Australian market for sustainable products and services.
The State Procurement Policy mandates that Queensland Government agencies must integrate principles and practices of sustainability into the procurement of goods and services.
Requirements for suppliers
The Queensland Government is dedicated to supporting and stimulating long-term relationships with suppliers that adopt sustainable practices. Suppliers and potential suppliers to the Queensland Government will be required to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and a practice of continuous improvement and innovation in sustainability.
Before doing business with the Queensland Government
If considering doing business with a Queensland Government agency, suppliers should read and understand the sustainable procurement sections of the State Procurement Policy to ensure they are familiar with agency requirements.
Suppliers should also develop an understanding of the relevant agency's sustainable procurement implementation strategy.
When responding to tenders
When responding to government tenders and contracts, potential suppliers can be expected to answer questions regarding sustainability performance. This may include questions regarding the products or services in question, including production or sourcing of the products, as well as questions regarding the organisation.
When responding to an offer potential suppliers should be prepared to describe their systems, programmes, processes, activities or initiatives that the organisation has in place that are directed towards meeting sustainability objectives. Evidence, such as certificates and other supporting documents should be provided for all responses given.
During the term of arrangement
During the term of the arrangement the Queensland Government will work with suppliers to encourage and promote improved sustainability performance.
Sustainability indicators will be included within the key performance indicators and suppliers will be expected to regularly report on their progress. These indicators will require increasing levels of performance over the contract period. This will assist in progressively improving the sustainability performance of suppliers, and hence improved sustainability outcomes for Queensland Government.
Improving sustainability of goods and services
What can suppliers do to improve the sustainability of their goods and services?
Some of the initiatives that suppliers could adopt to improve their sustainability performance include:
- Conduct a whole-of-life sustainability assessment of products and services to identify areas of environmental and social impact.
- Adopt approaches to product design, manufacturing, production, distribution and service that reduce identified impacts throughout the life cycle of products. For example, reduce the use of resources, particularly non-renewable resources; reduce water and energy use; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; minimise the release of toxic substances and minimise waste disposal to landfill.
- Be responsible for end-of-life product impact through extended producer responsibility programs and take part in available government approved product stewardship schemes.
- Become signatories to programs to improve environmental impacts; for example, The Australian National Packaging Covenant.
- Be aware of best practice within industry both nationally and internationally.
- Develop sustainability policy and strategy and targets for the organisation, and ensure this information is communicated to all staff. This may include developing sustainability training for staff.
- Develop internal systems or programs to promote improvements in sustainability performance. This could include a formal Environmental Management System.
- Obtain accreditation or work towards achieving accreditation from nationally or internationally recognised ISO14001 Type 1 Eco-labels
- Work together with your supply chain partners to progress sustainability of their operations and the supply chain as a whole.
Last updated October 2009
