The case for Socially-Responsible Public Procurement‏

Last week, SOLIDAR - a network of NGOs working to advance social justice in Europe - co-signed a letter coordinated by the Fair Trade Advocacy Office addressed to the EU Commissioner for Internal Market and Services.

The letter expressed concerns - shared by many NGOs across Europe - regarding a restrictive interpretation of options and concrete modalities by the European Commission on how social considerations in public procurement would be included in a Commission Handbook on Socially-Responsible Public Procurement.

Further, the signatories call on the Commission to guarantee rules that set incentives to support broader policy goals, such as climate change, gender equality, employment or social inclusion. http://www.solidar.org/Page_Generale.asp?DocID=13958&langue=EN&thebloc=24851

Public sector procurement in the UK is worth around £175 billion per annum. With cuts of 25% on the horizon many may view dealing with social responsibility issues such as climate change as unaffordable luxeries. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As the public pound is squeezed after last ounce should be made to work for social environmental and employment betterment. Too often public sector procurers are timid citing public procurement rules as prohibitive and sticking only to bottom line prices in awarding contracts. It is time to break the mould.

The UK government adopted a permissive framework on public procurement contracts which allowed for but did not compel the public sector to look at social environment and employment issues in contracting. And the EU public procurement directives is equally enshrined in timidity. Any pressure that can be brought to enhance global and community benefits from the billions spent on public procurement should be wholeheartedly supported.

Anna Rose