The CAESER team are constantly reviewing developments in the fields of sustainability, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and public sector procurement in order to make available the most up-to-the minute and relevant news to buyers and suppliers alike.
The following headings link to those areas of interest and concern that are most commonly expressed by people working in procurement and those who supply to the public sector.
Each topic area refers to, where appropriate, relevant articles on local, national and international policies, environmental and social concerns, actions by government and by business, and outlines both legal requirements and relevant best practice.
If you have any queries on the links provided or any questions relating to sustainable development, CSR and/or procurement, please email admin@caeser.org, and one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.
This report incorporates the response to the Sustainable Procurement Task Force report, outlines targets for sustainable procurement in the context of the latest Comprehensive Spending Review, addresses budgeting and accounting practice, and lays out the action plan for a full roll out of sustainable procurement practice in the public sector.
HM Government: 'Sustainable Procurement Action Plan' (PDF FILE)
The Sustainable Procurement Task Force (SPTF) was established in May 2005 and was charged with producing an action plan to ensure that the UK met the stated target of becoming an EU leader in sustainable procurement by 2009. The finished report 'Procuring the Future' includes the Flexible Framework – a standard model for assessing organisational practice in sustainable procurement.
SPTF (Sustainable Procurement Task Force): 'Procuring the Future' Website
This report presents the findings of the Environmental Audit Committee to the House of Commons following an inquiry launched in September 2005 on sustainable procurement in central government. The timing of the report parallels that of the SPTF, and provides some useful context, particularly on the barriers to sustainable procurement in central government departments.
NAO (National Audit Office): 'Sustainable Procurement: The Way Forward' (PDF FILE)
The Government's SDU, situated within Defra, works to monitor and report on the latest sustainable development news in central government and across the UK. It contains links to the latest Government strategies for delivering sustainable development and offers advice and support to organisations, communities and individuals wishing to support this agenda.
HM Government: SDU (Sustainable Development Unit) Website
The role of the SDC is to act as the independent sustainable development watchdog for the Government. The website is an informed source of up-to-the-minute resources on current and imminent legislation and targets on all matters relating to sustainable development, CSR, environmental and social impacts, innovation and much more.
SDC (Sustainable Development Commission) Website
This is the Government gateway to the latest issues on CSR and provides up-to-date information on the national actions to implement the 'ambitious vision for UK businesses to consider the economic, social and environmental impacts of their activities, wherever they operate in the world.' Resources include links to best practice, to relevant legislation in this field, and to such training and education initiatives as the CSR Academy.
The 9 Regional Centres of Excellence are run by local government for local government, and exist to promote organisational efficiency in procurement. Promotion of sustainable procurement forms a significant part of their brief, and their role in developing collaboration between local authorities places them in a unique position to implement the agenda. A search of the site will link to the Local Government response to the SPTF 'Procuring the Future' recommendations.
RCEs (Regional Centres of Excellence) Website
Sustainable procurement entails using the procurement function of an organisation to support their development goals. Awareness of these goals can help to strengthen the position of procurement officials and suppliers alike, as links are explicitly drawn between economic development and regeneration and sustainable procurement. The Regional Economic Strategies for each region also outline development targets for the next decade.
RDAs (Regional Development Agencies) Website
The LGA works with and for local authorities to improve public services and to ensure that 'the political, legislative and financial context' in which they operate supports this. They act as an efficient lobbying organisation on behalf of a wide range of local authority and public service organisations. They have published numerous papers on environmental and socially aware procurement.
A voluntary international initiative launched by the United Nations in 2000. It aims to bring companies together with UN agencies, labour and civil society to support universal environmental and social principles and to promote responsible corporate citizenship so that business can be part of the solution to challenges of globalisation.
The OECD guidelines are a set of voluntary recommendations to multinational enterprises in all areas of business ethics. These areas include 'employment and industrial relations, human rights, environment, information disclosures, combating bribery, consumer interests, science and technology, competition and taxation.' As such, they are an excellent source of information about comprehensive CSR practice. Although aimed at larger organisations, they are a good starting point for providing background on embedding sustainable and responsible practice in all areas of business operations.
The GRI's aim is to create a 'common framework for sustainability reporting', envisioning a future scenario wherein 'reporting on economic, environmental and social performance by all organisations is as routine and comparable as financial reporting.'
GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) Website
ICLEI is an international organisation of local governments and national and regional local organisations that run campaigns, programmes and events designed to link local action to internationally agreed goals and targets. It provides an international context for sustainable procurement at the local level, with best practice shared from around the world.
ICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability Website
A network of some 180 international companies committed 'to sustainable development through economic growth, ecological balance and social progress' through business leadership, policy development, and best practice sharing.
WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) Website
A coalition of companies, investors, environmental authorities and public interest groups. Their focus is on the environmental impacts of companies and in particular on climate change. The website includes a report on the link between corporate governance and climate change.
CERES (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Companies) Website
The guidelines are recommendations on responsible business conduct addressed by Governments to multinational enterprises operating in or from their territories. Although many businesses have developed their own codes of conduct in recent years, the OECD guidelines are the only multilaterally endorsed and comprehensive code that Governments are committed to promoting.
The ILO is a tripartite UN based organisation which seeks to improve working conditions around the world. The ILO guidelines are adopted by a member country to improve working conditions and provide guidance on responsible behaviour in areas such as work, employment, social security and social policy.
ILO (International Labour Organisation) Website
Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC) Website
This Department, created in May 2006, looks at how local government can help to create and sustain 'cohesive, attractive and economically vibrant communities.' The site contains information on sustainable communities, third sector organisation, diversity and equality, community management and has links to the Community Development Foundation and the Academy for Sustainable Communities.
Department of Communities and Local Government Website
The Office of the Third Sector was set up in May 2006 in recognition of the increasingly important role that third sector organisations (charities, social enterprises, voluntary and community organisation) play in providing goods and services to the public. There are growing opportunities for the public sector to support these organisations through procurement.
Office of the Third Sector Website
Whole life costing looks to expand the upfront costs of a particular good or service, and to take into account both the financial costs and environment and social impacts of processes such as extraction, transport and disposal. There is as yet no definitive model available for whole life costing: however, the links below go to two documents which fully explain the concept and can help procurement professionals to design their own spec by which to measure the whole life costs of the good and/or service required.
Knowledge of the Local Government Act is essential for those local authorities seeking to act on their sustainability ambitions. This link to the I&DeA (Improvement & Development Agency) site summarises the most relevant parts of the Act: in particular, Part 1, which 'introduces a new power for local authorities to promote the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of an area.'
Local Government Act 2000 Website
European legislation dictates that all public sector procurement is 'subject to EC Treaty principles of non-discrimination, equal treatment and transparency.' These principles impact on the link between procurement and sustainable development, and buying departments must ensure they do not promote anti-competitive practices when looking to support local business through procurement. The below link leads onto the OGC (Office of Government Commerce) site advising procurers and suppliers of the necessary OJEU legislation for any public sector tender.
OJEU (Official Journal for the European Communities) Website
This European Commission website provides a detailed definition of green procurement, explains what can and cannot be demanded by a public body in tendering and covers many other areas of environmental legislation. It has examples of green tender documentation and criteria, regular updates on legislation and best practice, and links to the final report of the Green Public Procurement in Europe study.
EUROPA: EU legislation on green procurement Website
Provides up-to-the-minute information on current environmental issues and legislation, and also maintains a comprehensive database on issues from air, land and water quality to waste disposal. There is also a link to the particular impacts of business on the environment, the legal compliance required specific to sector, in addition to information on regulations, permits, licenses etc.
Information on current environmental legislation, issues, relevant media, publications and available grants and funding.
Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) Website
A comprehensive online database, maintained by the WRI, which focuses on the 'environmental, social and economic trends that shape our world.' This site provides an excellent international background to the most critical environmental issues.
WRI (World Resource Initiative – Environmental Information) Website
In late 2006, the North East Regional Centre of Excellence undertook a survey on social clauses on behalf of the Office of the Third Sector. In their definition; 'Social clauses in public contracts prioritise social needs in the procurement process – for instance, the need to train or give jobs to the long-term unemployed in the local community.' The website contains information on current legislation and best practice surrounding social clauses, as well as providing a link to the survey site.
Social Clauses in Public Procurement Website
The Local t-Gov project was born out of the local e-government programme which ended in March 2006. It has been developed with the aim of helping local authorities to deliver 'Transformational Local Government', following on from the work of the 22 e-gov national projects coming out of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The t-Gov project delivers best practice examples and 'How to…' guides that specifically link supplier adoption and economic development. The papers cover e-procurement, Best Value, collaboration and procurement classification.
Local e-gov: Supplier Adoption and Economic Development Website
The LM3 is a toolkit which allows the user to measure the economic impact of their organisation on the local economy. It does this by multiplying out the effects of the revenue streams, and also provides suggestions to help improve the impact. The nef website as a whole is also an excellent source of information on more socially and environmentally friendly economics.
The IBE acts to encourage 'high standards of business behaviour based on ethical values.' The organisation raises public awareness of the importance of ethical and responsible business behaviour, collaborates with a wide range of UK and international organisations on strengthening ethics culture in business through research and practical training, and provides a neutral forum for debate on current and pending issues on ethics and codes of conduct.
Principle of Business Conduct Website
The IoD is an international professional network seeking to join together organisation directors from any sector or size of organisation. It provides advice, training and networking opportunities for directors on a range of duties and responsibilities. Given the recent legislative revision of director's duties to now consider governance, transparency, accountability, and the responsibility for environmental and social impacts in business decisions, a review of the site provides a welcome outline of these areas.
CIPD is the professional body for the development and promotion of good practice in the field of management and development of people. As such, it has carried out extensive research into the responsibility of organisations towards the development and care of their employees, the role of (and advantages for) HR in good CSR practice, and the various legal requirements for care of diversity and equality, and health, safety and wellbeing.
The ICAEW has done some extensive work on environmental accounting toolkits and the role of accountancy in delivering sustainability. There are a number of reports and articles which provide an excellent background on including environmental and social impacts or 'costs' into financial decision making.
The Institute has hosted some key consultations on Public Benefit OFRs and accountability in finance. There are also a variety of articles written for the online journal Public Finance on transparency, accountability and ethical investing, which provide a useful context for best practice in sustainable finance.
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Website
CIPS acted as part of the Sustainable Procurement Task Force and was a driving force for including social and economic recommendations as well as environmental issues in the Task Force Report. CIPS also run Sustainability in Action events and are currently developing training modules on Sustainable Procurement practice.
IEMA is an international organisation responsible for promoting best practice standards in environmental management, auditing and assessment. In the UK, IEMA acts as the Competent Body for EMAS (the European Union's Eco Management and Audit Scheme) and the Acorn Scheme (an EMS standard recommended by the UK Government.) and is a source of comprehensive information on both.
CIM acts as an umbrella organisation for a range of resources on responsible and ethical marketing practices. These practices include a truthful representation of the product and/or services to the public and explore how best to market to vulnerable groups (i.e. children).
CIPR outlines the guidelines for responsible practice in public relations and communications. Awareness of these elements is essential when managing the reputation of an organisation: an area where communication of work done in sustainability and CSR can have substantial business benefits.
