PROCUREMENT
The way that the Council purchases goods and services can have a significant impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It has a multi-million pound budget so the way that this money is spent can have a direct impact on carbon emissions, as well as influencing others.
Current activities:
- purchasing goods that have less environmental impact; for example, we purchase stationery with a high recycled content. We purchase timber for construction projects from accredited sustainably managed sources.
- our Sustainable Procurement Strategy (2008-2011) contains numerous initiatives that contribute to reductions in carbon emissions e.g. introducing demand management for all Council expenditure would challenge whether new goods are necessary.
- the Strategy also seeks to reduce the business miles travelled by the goods, works and services delivered to the Council.
- commitment to support small local businesses by signing the Small Business Friendly (SME) Concordat. Purchasing local goods and services not only helps the environment but also the local economy.
- providing advice and information to contractors and suppliers to encourage them to take action to reduce their carbon emissions.
Future Actions:
| Initiative | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 years: | |
| Business case | Business case culture for all formal tender procurements to include sustainability |
| Carbon footprint | Undertake carbon footprint measurement exercise against one key area of the Council’s procurement |
| Recycled products | Establish standards for minimum recycled content of products and monitor compliance |
| Vehicle procurement | Produce a new vehicle procurement policy |
| Building Energy & Carbon Management Policy & Strategy | Include proposals to ensure that all electrical equipment purchased by the Council is energy efficient |
| 2-5 years: | |
| Local economy | Consider using New Economic Foundation method to assess the impact of the Council’s procurement activity on the local economy |