Green and sustainable procurement

ProcurEU definition

Sustainable public procurement incorporates strategic public policy goals into procurement procedures, such as green public procurement (GPP), socially responsible public procurement (SRPP), and ensuring genuine competition and SME participation. It contributes to reducing the environmental impact of procurement, to achieving social goals, and to improving value for money for the organisation and for society at large. Sustainable objectives can be implemented in many ways:

• Exclusion criteria that require a minimum level of compliance with environmental and social law by contractors and sub-contractors;
• Selection criteria that verify the bidder’s qualifications to achieve environmental and social goals; Technical specifications that include social and environmental considerations such as label requirements or sustainable production processes;
• Evaluation techniques such as life-cycle costing and use of environmental or social award criteria;
• Contract performance clauses in order to monitor and enforce high sustainability standards;
• Sector specific legislation requiring, for example, minimum energy-efficiency standards, as well as horizontal rules such as accessibility obligations;
• Member State level green or social action plans outlining support measures or setting targets.

Interview emphasis / definitons

Sustainable public procurement, green public procurement, legal provisions such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), sustainability, familiarity and skills related to green procurement, sustainable Public which extends the lifespan.