Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) is a highly effective tool administration can use to lower their environmental impact while simultaneously investing in a greener economy. However, public buyers often lack the know-how, time and personnel needed for SPP. To increase the amount of sustainable goods and services purchased by the public sector, new tools are needed which streamline SPP and make sustainable options more accessible.

“Digital purchasing tools such as e-catalogues and e-marketplaces offer a means to mainstream sustainable purchasing. However, little guidance has been developed and only a few practical examples exist. This pre-study aims to summarise existing knowledge and provide a starting point for future research, as well as outline some practical considerations for administrations interested in establishing or enhancing how they support sustainable procurement,” notes Ashleigh McLennan, co-author from Öko-Institute e.V.

Although ‘central e-catalogues’ offer the greatest potential for streamlining SPP and increasing access to sustainable products and services, they also require a supportive institutional and legal framework. Therefore, e-marketplaces and single contract e-catalogues are also included in this pre-study, as they offer more flexible opportunities which can be adopted in a wider range of contexts.

Download the pre-study here.