Environmental Purchasing Guide
Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2003
ISBN 0642 54955 9
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- Download Environmental Purchasing Guide - PDF (purchasing-guide.pdf - 522 KB)
About this guide
This Guide is for Australian Government officers involved in procuring goods and services. It is also relevant for employees who are developing and implementing environmental management systems (EMS) to improve their organisation's environmental performance. The Guide introduces the general principles of environmental purchasing, links these to key Australian Government policies and provides advice on getting environmental purchasing started in an organisation. Checklists that provide assistance specific to key types of goods and services purchased by the Australian Government accompany the Guide.
The Guide will also assist suppliers, who wish to sell to the Government, to understand how environmental issues are considered in the procurement process. We also hope that this guidance will assist other organisations that are interested in making their consumption and production more sustainable.
What is Environmental Purchasing?
Environmental purchasing is the inclusion of environmental factors in decisions on the purchase of products and/or services. It is sometimes called "green", "sustainable" or "environmentally preferable" purchasing. The aim of considering environmental factors is to buy products or services that have less impact on the environment and human health than otherwise comparable products or services.
Public and private sector environmental purchasing initiatives are underway all around the world. In the USA, Federal agencies must take environmental issues into account in their purchasing decisions, and are supported in this by the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program. In Canada, Federal green purchasing is well established as a key part of an overall Sustainable Development Strategy. European environmental purchasing is particularly strong at the municipal level, and the European Union and many national governments also have programmes in this area. The United Nations Environment Program also has a focus on sustainability in public procurement and provides a database of relevant purchasing criteria. The Netherlands, Norway, Japan, the UK, South Africa and many other OECD countries have commenced and are committed to work in this area.
As part of the Plan of Implementation from the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Australian Government agreed to "promote public procurement policies that encourage development and diffusion of environmentally sound goods and services". For more details on this agreement see Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
Other Australian governments have policies in place that support or require the consideration of energy and environment issues in purchasing. Sometimes these are explicit policies for the government agencies of that jurisdiction, such as the Victorian State Government's requirement for large agencies to develop, implement and report on their environmental purchasing policies. There are also issue-specific policies in each jurisdiction covering matters such as waste management or discharges to water for many or all organisations operating there. As the Australian Government has sites in every Australian jurisdiction, purchasing officers should be aware of the policies and programmes relevant to their local area of operations, as well as the general policies of the Australian Government.
The focus of environmental purchasing can vary, depending on the priorities of the organisation involved. Many organisations have emphasised the purchase of products made from recycled materials. Others pay special attention to the selection of energy efficient and/or water efficient products. Still others have a particular concern about reducing chemical hazards. The Australian Government, as part of its Greening of Government Programme, is promoting environmental purchasing to address a wide range of environmental issues, including waste minimisation, energy efficiency, water conservation and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
See also
ESD operations guide
The ESD operations guide for owners, managers and tenants - A guide to help building owners, managers and tenants to operate buildings more sustainably
ESD design guide
The ESD design guide for office and public buildings provides an accessible introduction to ESD in buildings, suitable for all public sector staff involved in construction or refurbishment projects.
