" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 15px 15px; width: 250px;">

Sustainable Public Procurement

Sustainable public procurement (SPP) is the act of purchasing products and services with the lowest environmental and highest positive social impacts, throughout the life-cycle of products and services. [1][3] This includes considering a wide range of characteristics of the products and services procured, such as: the use of non-toxic substances, renewable materials, energy and water consumption during use, as well as disposal, reuse and recycling options at the end of life.
Sustainable public procurement measures can be adopted at different levels. For example, by minimizing the need to purchase, it can target one specific product type or service such as buying only recycled paper or products with eco-labels as basic procedures, or go as far as integrating environmental and social aspects into all procurement activities, considering the life-cycle costing (LCC) of goods, works and services [1], for example by establishing criteria for project evaluation in areas where service delivery is under the responsibility of Local Governments (e.g. water supply, waste collection, mass transit, public buildings, etc.). This Solution seeks to support local governments on their path towards putting a comprehensive sustainable procurement policy in place.

Motivation / Relevance

Government and utilities expenditure is a significant and influential factor in the economy. In the European Union (EU-27) every year approximately 20% of GDP is spent by different levels of government (national and sub-national). This includes bodies which are governed by public law and utility service providers who procure goods, works and services [6]. Governments in OECD member countries spend on average 12% of their GDP on public procurement, excluding procurement by state-owned utility companies. Public Procurement accounts for between 10% and 20% of the GDP of Latin American countries. Analyzing possible impacts and adopting new criteria can stimulate sustainable development by inducing the selection of more sustainable goods, works and services  that are available on the market.[5]

Strategic government spending can trigger market demand for sustainably produced goods and services - for example by shifting more rapidly to cleaner technologies.  Sustainable procurement can also help achieve financial savings as part of a whole-life cycle cost basis. [7]

Sustainable procurement thus has the potential to result in significant positive impacts on the sustainability of local governments` finances and increase productivity and performance, while presenting an opportunity to promote sustainable consumption and a green economy.

Main impacts

  • More efficient use of resources: e.g.: reduction of energy and water consumption;[1]
  • Reduction of waste production;[1]
  • Reduction of environmental impacts of the product`s and services` life cycle;[1]
  • Tackle social issues;[4]
  • Reduce the negative impacts of unsustainable consumption such as resource depletion, increase of poverty affecting communities, pollution and threats to biodiversity; [1]
  • More effectiveness and financial sustainability of public projects and public spending.[5]

Benefits and Co-Benefits

  • Improve public image;[1]
  • Financial savings;[1]
  • Achievement of environmental, social and health targets;[1]
  • Drive innovation;[1]
  • Contribution to global sustainability;[1]
  • Stimulates green growth;[1]
  • Reduction of GHG emissions. [1]

Pool of Experts on LinkedIn


For each of the various sectors addressed by the Solutions Gateway, a Pool of Experts thematic subgroup as been created in LinkedIn.

The current Solution links to the following Expert Subgroups:

Please join the subgroup in question and/or use the listed expert entries to contact experts directly. Note that you need to be a registered LinkedIn user to utilise the groups.

Rate this solution

This form gives you the opportunity to evaluate this Solution. Your feedback will help us to improve this Solution for your future use.


Do you find this Solution's structure clear?

Do you find the level of detail of the contents adequate?

Do you intend to implement this Solution?

When? Please indicate the year:

What is the main role you have in your Local Government?

Comments and suggestions:

Share materials and contribute to this Solution

We will be happy to consider the inclusion of your materials in the Solutions Gateway and give visibility and recognition to your Local Government and its experts. This form gives you the opportunity to share with us case studies, tools and other resources that may help to enrich this Solution with additional guidance. Sharing your materials will contribute to experience sharing and peer-learning among Local Governments, and support replication of good practices worldwide.


Briefly describe the material you want to share with us:

Is this material already available online? If yes, please provide the URL. (Note: the Solutions Gateway links to external materials which are already available online. By pointing to the website where the materials are hosted we help to drive traffic to your webpages):

Other comments:


Report your results

This form gives you the opportunity to share with us your action plans and programs, experiences and success with the implementation of this Solution. We will be happy to disseminate your results using ICLEI's web and social media. Your success is our success!


Have you incorporated this Solution into your municipal or project workplan?

With how much private investment? Please indicate USD.

With how much public investment? Please indicate USD.

What benefits have been observed? Please indicate quantitative results if possible.

Other comments

Register to access information!

I have read and agree to the solutions Gateway's Terms of Use.


Login to access information!

Remember me!