Sustainable procurement plays a key role in contributing to sustainable development. Sustainable development can be defined as:
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission).
Sustainable procurement means buying goods and services and taking into account:
value for money - quality, fitness for purpose, whole-of-life costs, etc.;
environmental aspects;
the entire life cycle of products; and
social aspects – sustainable supply chains and the effects of issues such as labour conditions, including child labour provision, occupational health and safety and compliance with relevant industrial and environmental regulations http://www.sustainableprocurement.net/home2.html)
Procurement can make a significant contribution to the policy goals of sustainable development and efficient resource usage by ensuring that the suppliers, contractors and the goods and services purchased achieve optimum environmental performance. In addition, procurement plays a role in minimising any reputation risk of social exploitation within the supply chain.(Sustainable Procurement Guide, Environment Agency, United Kingdom, 2002. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk)
Although 'sustainable procurement' encompasses more than environmental considerations, the main focus of these webpages is environmental procurement. Currently, there is more information and more tools available to assist agencies to purchase green products and services than the other socially responsible aspects. As more information is developed about how to buy according to social responsibility principles (or 'ethical procurement'), this website will be updated.
Environmental or 'green' procurement is defined as the purchase of products and services which have less impact on the environment and human health compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.
This comparison may consider the source of raw materials, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, potential for reuse and recycling, operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product. These may include:
energy efficient and greenhouse friendly products;
products that are water efficient and reduce water use;
less toxic products to reduce health effects;
products using less packaging or with provision for packaging take-back;
products that use fewer resources or in other ways create reduced environmental impacts throughout their life cycle;
products made from recycled materials, such as recycled road construction materials; and
recycled green organics and recycled plastic products.
