The Scottish Government has a duty to take into account Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR) When considering its procurements. Sustainable procurement is key to meeting CSR objectives
Sustainable procurement may be defined as - a process whereby organisations meet their needs for goods services works and utilities in a way that achieves value for money on a whole life basis and generates benefits not only for the organisation but also to society, the economy and environment.
A Scottish Sustainable Procurement Action Plan will be produced. This will assist Scottish contracting authorities to meet its needs for procuring sustainably. It is likely to include a 10 step plan, the Flexible Framework and Buy Sustainable Quick Wins.
The 10 steps are:
· COMMITMENT WITHIN THE ORGANISATION
· MAKING THE COMMITMENT PUBLIC
· ORGANISATIONAL BUY-IN
· BENCHMARKING AND PROGRESSION
· PRIORITISING
· SPECIFYING SUSTAINABLY
· SUSTAINABILITY IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS
· WORKING WITH SUPPLIERS
· MEASURING PERFORMANCE
· PUBLICISING YOUR SUCCESSES
Organisations will be able to evaluate their own procurement processes by using the Flexible Framework and Best Practice Indicators.
The Flexible Framework will allow organisations to benchmark where they are now and what they need to do to get to the next level.
Buy Sustainable Quick Wins provides an exhaustive list of products and gives information on how to specify them in a sustainable manner. The 2008 version gives both minimum standards and best practice standards