Sustainable procurement

In Denmark, DKK 200 billion is used on public procurement each year whilst private companies account for even more. This type of purchasing power can be used to promote the production and sales of products with lower environmental impacts, throughout the entire product chain.

The Ministry of the Environment has for more than 15 years encouraged sustainable procurement through various focus areas such as training, development of guidance material and exchange of expertise, etc.

The Ministry's current sustainable procurement initiatives concentrate on the following strategic focus areas:

• The need for increased efforts in transport, construction and food sectors.
• Continued need for focus on procurement in municipalities, as two thirds of public procurement is undertaken by the municipalities.
• The considerable potential for reinforcing environmental considerations in measures by private companies aimed at sustainable procurement.
• The need to spread knowledge on existing tools and on the advantages of sustainable procurement.

Some examples of key activities led by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen sustainable procurement practices in Denmark are:

• The Forum on Sustainable Procurement
• The Partnership for Green Public Procurement
• Initiatives for sustainable wood production (in Danish)