LIPOR is the entity responsible for the management, valorisation and treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW) produced by its eight municipalities. It treats around 500,000 tons of municipal solid waste produced by 985,000 inhabitants every year.
 | 194 Employees |
 | 2009 Date joined |
LIPOR is responsible for the Management of MSW produced by its partners and is now addressing the rise in refuse through the promotion of “Sustainable Consumption Policies”. A multidisciplinary team implements Low Carbon Procurement, as recommended in GPP2020. This procurement is closely linked to the certification on Energy Management by ISO 50001.
LIPOR is constantly involved in streamlining sustainable public procurement at a national level in Portugal through:
As a result of certification in SA8000 Standard, LIPOR developed verification schemes. The verification scheme aims to raise awareness of suppliers about the importance of respecting social and environmental criteria. Since 2009 the verification has been applied as a mandatory process, because appropriate monitoring and auditing procedures are needed to maintain certification. The verification scheme is applied as part of the contract performance clauses, and is announced to the suppliers during the call for tenders. The verification scheme and other activities allows suppliers to see LIPOR as a socially responsible entity, which in turn encourages them to make the efforts needed to give due consideration to social responsibility in the supply of products or services.
The LIPOR Verification Process:
During the tendering, the Code of Conduct is sent to all the tenderers whose turnover is equal or more than 10.000,00 €, when tender value is equal or more than the 10.000,00 €, or when the supplier has 6 (six) invoices sent to Lipor;
Lipor asks them to commit to this Code of Conduct by signing the so called Commitment Declaration;
In the beginning of the execution of the contract, a self-assessment form is given and has to be filled in by all suppliers who provide products or services to Lipor;
Every year, an auditing process is applied to all strategic suppliers;
Lipor invites its suppliers to an annual workshop on social responsibility where the verification schemes, criteria included in the tenders, and the Code of Conduct are discussed;
If monitoring shows that a supplier is not meeting the criteria, Lipor recommends opportunities for improvement.
KEEPING TRACK OF SPPThe Purchase and Supply Division continues to develop the Building SPP pilot project as a means of taking LIPOR’s SPP strategy forward. The concepts from the pilot will be applied to all the purchases and tenders that involve energy efficiencies, with the financial and CO2 savings monitored and analysed. LIPOR also publishes an annual Sustainability Report: http://www.lipor.pt/en/bibliotecas/index.php.
Under the project Building SPP, LIPOR defined Cleaning Services as a Pilot Project. The main goals for this procurement procedure were: acting in accordance with the LIPOR strategy and policy on SPP; optimising costs by finding the best solutions on the market; increasing the efficiency of the previous service.
All the paper that LIPOR uses (office paper and institutional paper) is 100% recycled or from sustainable forests. Verification – Eco-labels.
Under a project developed by LIPOR, people who attend home composting workshops are given a free composter. The specifications required in the tender for purchase of the composters are that the material is from recycled PP/PE and 100% recyclable. Verification – Technical data and producer auto declaration.
The specifications required in the process tender are: the bags should be in polyethylene and preferably with recycled plastic incorporated in their manufacture; and water-based inks should be used in the colouring of the bags. Verification – Technical data and Producer auto declaration.
The specifications required in the tender process are: a percentage of recycled material must be incorporated into the manufacture of the equipment; and the supplier has to ship full loads within containers in order to reduce CO2 emissions. Verification – Technical data and Producer auto declaration.
The specification required in the process tender is that all IT equipment should be energy efficient.
Verification – Eco label “Energy Star” or equivalent.
The specifications required in the process tender are: energy efficiency of supply, including maximum CO2 and GEE emissions; non-toxic inks and non-toxic material in the equipment; and a 90% reduction in waste through less consumable parts, and a guaranteed reduction in waste to landfill through the application of a recovery and recycling program for products. Verification – Eco label “Energy Star” and producer auto declaration.
The specifications required in the process tender are: whenever possible, it is recommended that the accommodation is in hotels certified by the Environmental Management Standard ISO 14001, or equivalent; and, to reduce CO2 emissions resulting from air travel, it is recommended that, wherever possible, the flights are direct or number of scales does not exceed two. Verification – Auto declaration from the hotel and travel itinerary.
For further information on the activities of LIPOR visit their website:
or email procurement@iclei.org
