The guide on social and environmental impact procurement made by companies

The guide on social and environmental impact procurement made by companies promotes policies that support responsible procurement with social and environmental impact as a tool to combat poverty, social exclusion and climate change.

The guide is an instrument to raise awareness about sustainable procurement implementation, by presenting concrete examples and relevant case studies, clarifying the framework of public policies and concepts regarding sustainable procurement from the perspective of environmental protection, social inclusion, gender equality, and innovation at the national level, but especially at the European and international levels.

The work presents the main concepts that fall under a sustainable development strategy; the socio-political, legislative and economic context; the main advantages of implementing a sustainable development strategy at the company level; practical examples of sustainability policies from various sectors of activity; and, finally, examples of criteria that companies can consider when selecting business partners or when purchasing goods or services necessary for their business activities.

Implementing a sustainable procurement policy at the company level generates multiple organizational benefits, including:

  • confirming the commitment to sustainability policy at the highest level of the organization;
  • shaping a clear approach and a common language that will be appreciated by business partners (e.g., suppliers);
  • interrelating the sustainable procurement policy with other organizational objectives and policies, as well as with important national or local priorities and policies;
  • developing support functions such as training programs, guidance and standard procurement procedures, regular monitoring of the procurement policy and ensuring its continuous improvement.

Sustainable procurement represents a powerful strategic tool for supporting and promoting a sustainable development policy at the company level. Such an approach requires a medium- and long-term vision that takes into account the impact of procurement activities. The way suppliers of products, services, and works necessary for private economic operators to carry out their business activities are selected can have a significant impact both from an environmental and social perspective.

By implementing sustainable procurement policies, companies ensure that the products and services they purchase generate benefits not only for themselves but also for the environment and, in particular, for supporting the social economy. Implementing sustainable procurement processes has multiple benefits, including:

  • diversification of the supplier base,
  • creation of new markets,
  • reduction of unemployment,
  • reduction of impact on the environment,
  • promotion of fair social policies,
  • facilitation of labor market integration for disadvantaged or vulnerable groups,
  • as well as creating business opportunities for SMEs, social enterprises, social insertion enterprises, or authorized protected units.

Companies that implement an internal policy regarding sustainable procurement can also benefit from the new reporting obligations established by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

The guide also includes recommendations that can be used by private sector representatives in organizing and carrying out procurement processes, based on case studies and by taking into account existing practices in the public sector and those recommended by international sustainability bodies.

The annexes at the end of the Guide indicate additional sources of inspiration for companies wishing to implement the recommendations, as well as sources of information for identifying players in the market for social services and products suppliers in Romania, part of the local social economy.

The full Guide can be downloaded HERE.

The Guide was created with the financial support of the Active Citizens Fund Romania, a program financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the EEA grants 2014-2021.

The content of this material does not necessarily represent the official position of the Norwegian EEA Grants 2014-2021; for more information, please visit: www.eeagrants.org.



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