A sustainable procurement is worth its while
Procurement decisions have an impact on the consumption of energy and materials and on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and waste generated during the life cycles of products and services.
Resource-smart procurements:- achieve environmental goals – they reduce carbon dioxide emissions, increase energy efficiency and conserve natural resources
- achieve cost savings
- promote innovation and support the development of competitive, eco-friendly products and services and expand their markets
- create healthier working conditions for the personnel
- increase citizens’ and companies’ trust in the public sector
The public sector is obligated to promote sustainable procurements
The public sector procures goods and services for approximately €47 billion every year. The public sector’s importance as a market trend-setter is considerable when you are trying to introduce energy and material efficient products and products with less harmful environmental impact to the market. The public sector has both the duty and opportunity to use its vast purchasing power wisely.
A government resolution (13 June 2013) obligates the state and municipalities to promote energy and environmentally efficient, or what are also known as cleantech, solutions. According to resolution, the state and the municipalities are obligated to consider cleantech solutions in all public procurements.
Some 75 per cent of all public procurements are made in the municipal sector. More than half of these procurements consist of the procurement of services, while the rest involve the procurement of consumer goods and property maintenance. From the perspective of environmental impact, the most important procurements concern vehicles, energy and heating as well as food and food service procurements.
