Sustainable Procurement and Sustainability Criteria
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Sustainable procurement is the integration of environmental, social, and economic considerations into purchasing decisions. It ensures that the goods, services, and works procured deliver value not only in terms of cost, quality, and efficiency, but also in their wider impact on people, communities, and the environment.
Rather than focusing solely on price and quality, sustainable procurement asks: What are the environmental consequences of this purchase? How does it affect workers and communities? Does it promote ethical practices, innovation, and resilience across the supply chain?
Through this approach, procurement becomes a lever for positive change, enabling organisations to reduce carbon emissions, protect biodiversity, enhance labour standards, and foster long-term sustainable growth.
Sustainability criteria are the measurable standards applied throughout the procurement process to evaluate and compare the sustainability performance of suppliers, products, and services. These criteria are embedded within tendering, evaluation, and contract management to ensure that sustainability is not an add-on, but a core requirement.
Sustainability criteria typically focus on the following considerations:
- Environmental – e.g. carbon emissions, energy and resource efficiency, waste reduction, biodiversity protection, and circular economy principles.
- Social – e.g. health and safety, fair employment practices, diversity and inclusion, human rights, anti- slavery, and community impact.
- Economic and governance – e.g. ethical business conduct, innovation, resilience, transparency, and long-term value creation.