Office supply, procurement

Green procurement

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Objectives

• When procuring external expertise and services, it is necessary to take into consideration all aspects that can lead to the reduction of negative environmental impact.

Green Value indicator

Green procurement by using more efficient and environmentally friendly products and services generates demand for greener products and services, and it also enhances resource saving and reuse or recycling.

Depending on the service or expertise procured, different calculations can be made.

Explanation

When procuring external providers of service and expertise, take into consideration the following:

• adopting a green procurement policy in your organisation, with clear objectives, definitions and targets, and therefore committing to the process
• informing and educating project managers and administrative staff involved in the procurement procedures
• monitoring the implementation of green procurement policy

Some of the principles of green procurement:

• consider whether a product is needed before purchasing it or not;
• purchase a product after considering its various environmental impacts over the life cycle - from extraction of raw materials to disposal;
• select suppliers who make a conscious effort to care for the environment;
• collect environmental and fair-trade information about products and suppliers;
• include environmental criteria and social clauses in works and services public tenders; stimulate public administration green purchasing;
• lead by example, increasing the “environmental coherence” of the organisation

PROS/CONS of the action

Pros:

• relatively easy to implement
• generating demand for greener products and services

Cons:

• more planning and perhaps higher costs at the start of the investment

Certified

Not Certified

Link to useful sources

(if available) Buying green! A handbook on green public procurement ec.europa.eu

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UN Procurement Practitioner's Handbook: Sustainable Procurement www.ungm.org

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What is Sustainable Procurement? https://planergy.com

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Sustainable Procurement: What You Need to Know https://futureofsourcing.com

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European Green Office Handbook https://www.sei.org

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Toolbox Sustainable Procurement http://gdflac.com

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Carbon Footprint Calculators for Public Procurement https://core.ac.uk

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Carbon Footprint in Green Public Procurement: A case study in the services sector www.researchgate.net

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