'Procuring the Future' - The Sustainable Procurement Task Force National Action Plan
In the 2005 Sustainable Development Strategy, the UK Government stated its ambitious goal to be amongst the leaders in the EU on sustainable procurement by 2009. It recognised that current initiatives alone would not deliver that. To this end the Sustainable Procurement Task Force (SPTF), jointly funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and HM Treasury, was set up under the direction of Sir Neville Simms, Chairman of International Power Plc. and a leading private sector proponent of sustainability. The National Action Plan: 'Procuring the Future', delivered its findings and recommendations on 12 June 2006.
"..This is the SPTF plan for action. It requires determined effort from the top down throughout both central and local government, the NHS, indeed everyone who either spends money from the public purse or on behalf of the public.
- Procuring the Future - complete document (PDF , 1,278KB)
..The message from the Task Force is simple: this is worth doing, there are clear benefits, it can be done, it is not difficult, it will not cost more in the medium term and will show real dividends in the long term.
..Future generations will neither excuse us nor forgive us
for ignoring the signals that we can see today. But if the latest sustainability
strategy, Securing the Future, is driven forward with determination and
the government's huge spending power is harnessed as recommended in this
report and if the first steps are taken now, right now, future generations
will have much to thank our leaders for."
Sir Neville Simms, Chairman of the SPTF
Updated: 5 February 2009