Equalities and sustainability issues relating to procurement
Environmentally and Socially Responsible Procurement
We are committed to achieving environmental, social and economic objectives set out in our Community Strategy, so as to ensure a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come.
We recognise the impacts associated with our own procurement activities as well as those of its vendors. We are committed to addressing these impacts and integrating environmental, social and economic considerations into every stage of its procurement processes.
The aim of this policy is to provide a strategic framework for setting targets and actions to achieve the following goals:
- meet Camden’s corporate objectives
- minimise environmental risk
- maximise social benefits
- consider whole life costing
- consult and engage stakeholders
To achieve these goals we commit to the following objectives.
- To, as a minimum, comply with all relevant environmental and social legislation, UK and EC procurement regulations, industry guidance, codes of practice and voluntary agreements.
- To research and promote best practice in environmental and social procurement.
- To consider environmental and social issues during vendor qualification and appraisal.
- To specify environmentally and socially acceptable products, services and ways of working in contract conditions and specifications.
- To include environmental and social appraisal criteria during tender evaluation.
- To green the supply chain and address social procurement issues through working with key vendors.
- To minimise the environmental impacts of our contracts including the production of waste, use of resources, emissions to air, releases to water, contamination of land and destruction of biodiversity.
- To promote awareness of environmental and social procurement issues among vendors, members, council staff, the public and other stakeholders.
- To adopt mechanisms and indicators for improving, monitoring and reviewing the environmental and social performance of vendors.
- To work with SME’s, BME and local businesses so they are fit to compete for Council and other contracts so as to strengthen the local economy.
LCE sustainable procurement project finished successfully
The London Borough of Camden has led the London Centre of Excellence (LCE) funded project on sustainable procurement from March 2006 until March 2008.
The aim of this project was to develop and deliver practical assistance in the context of 3 specific procurement exercises with London authority contracts.
Over the past two years the project team has successfully worked with staff from many London Boroughs to develop and test several toolkits for implementing sustainable procurement. All the toolkits provide easy to follow steps to embed sustainability into the tendering process.
As part of the project aims we provided training and developed case studies to raise awareness on sustainable procurement across London and beyond. Through the life of the project the regular participation from several Local Authorities to Project Board, Steering Group and working groups meetings have proven essential to the project's success.
Major achievements include:
- Savings of 50% between the most sustainable furniture disposal method offered and the least for the London Fire Brigade contract which will reuse up to 70% of the furniture;
- Developed a methodology to link performance and contract selection for Framework Agreements;
- Successful provision of sustainable procurement training to all 33 London Boroughs and the 5 functional bodies of the GLA.
Full details of toolkits, case studies and training on sustainable procurement can be downloaded from the project website at www.lcpe.gov.uk/sustainable. In future this material will be accessible through the Mayors Green Procurement Code website at www.greenprocurementcode.co.uk