The most needed and appropriate tool to enable sustainable procurement is to develop sustainability criteria that can be used in the different stages of a procurement activity (subject matter, technical specifications, award criteria, etc.). 

To help you save your public authority money and drive the market towards sustainability, knowledge of a wide net of criteria is essential. We’ve compiled some of the key references here. Why these?  

• Multi-stakeholder dialogue has been the basis for their development. Public authorities, technical experts and suppliers and manufacturers have all contributed their perspectives.

• Verification schemes that conform to the Directives EC 2004/17 and EC 2004/18 are taken into account.

Global sustainable procurement criteria

• SUN project: The Sustainable Public Procurement initiative works with governments across the world to make sure every penny of public money serves both people and planet.

European sustainable procurement criteria

• EC GPP training toolkit: The toolkit is designed for use by public purchasers and by GPP trainers or for integration in general public procurement training courses and workshops.
• Euro Top Ten Plus criteria: The consumer-oriented online search tool presents the best appliances in various categories of products based on energy efficiency, impact on the environment, health and quality.
• Procura⁺ criteria: Six product groups with a set of simple purchasing criteria have been developed addressing the most important environmental and/or social aspects for procurers.
• RESPIRO criteria: Two guides on socially responsible procurement  for building construction works and textiles and clothing.
• Buy Fair criteria: Examples based on coffee and catering services for public buildings/events tenders where Fair Trade considerations could be included.
• BUY IT FAIR criteria: A guide on sustainable tenders for computers.

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National sustainable procurement criteria

• Germany - Blue Angel GPP criteria: A criteria set list of all product groups and services that may be awarded the Blue Angel eco-label.
• UK - Government Buying Standards: These standards are designed to make it easier for UK government buyers to buy sustainably.
• Dutch National Government criteria: A set of criteria for a list of product groups developed by the Netherlands.
• Spain - IHOBE GPP criteria: Models and examples for the implementation of green purchasing and public contracting by the Basque civil service.

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