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Selling to Defra sustainably
“Many firms have recognised that operating in a more sustainable way is good for them and that is what the customers want. At the same time, every firm can now see the value of investing in energy and resource efficiency measures, giving a net profit, not a cost, with earlier pay-back times than anticipated, and for larger firms the opportunity to influence not only their resource consumption but to green the supply chain is becoming clear.”
Prime Minister: speech on climate change to business leaders, 1 May 2008
The government is committed to sustainable procurement, which means only purchasing goods and services which are really needed and buying items whose production, use and disposal minimise negative impacts on the environment and society.
Procurement is an important tool for helping the Government meet its targets for operating sustainably across the Government estate: for example, by minimising its use of energy and CO2 emissions, its water consumption and waste levels and increasing its recycling rates.
Sustainable procurement also offers the Government the opportunity to lead by example and to use its purchasing power to influence suppliers and the products they develop and design, for the wider benefit of others in the economy and the UK environment. In particular, minimising the environmental impact of procurement practices is one of the tools for mitigating climate change.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology’ carbon counter uses projections from monthly measurements of CO2 and other greenhouse gases to show in tonnes the amount of greenhouse gases the world is producing in real time every day.
- National Audit Office’s report: Addressing the environmental impacts of Government procurement (April 2009) (NAO website)
Page published: 2 October 2009