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Sustainable procurement> About sustainable procurement > Sustainable development and procurement

Sustainable development and procurement

Sustainable procurement provides one avenue for promoting broader sustainability and sustainable development principles.

A widely accepted definition of sustainable development is "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."1 Sustainable development, or ecologically sustainable development (ESD) means using, conserving and enhancing the community's resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained and quality of life for both present and future generations is increased. To achieve sustainable development, we must consider and balance three equally important aspects; social, environmental and economic.

In 1992, all levels of Australian government adopted the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development (NSESD). The NSESD facilitates a coordinated and co-operative approach to ecologically sustainable development and encourages long-term benefits for Australia over short-term gains. Since 1992, the pursuit of ecologically sustainable development has been increasingly incorporated into the policies and programs of Australian governments as a significant policy objective.

Procurement can play a key role in contributing to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Government procurement markets are significant, and this expenditure presents a considerable opportunity to progress sustainability principles.

Globally, there is a concerted effort to achieve sustainable procurement outcomes. The United Nations and Organisation for Economic and Co-operative Development have been promoting sustainable procurement for many years. The United Kingdom, United States of America, Canadian and Japanese governments have sustainable procurement policies (or legislation) with extensive implementation programmes. 2

1 World Commission on Environment and Development,1987, "Our Common Future"

2Australian Procurement and Construction Council," Australian and New Zealand Government Framework for Sustainable Procurement", 2007.

Last updated May 2009