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A New Approach to Sustainable Procurement
Nova Scotia Procurement Services understands the important role public procurement plays in contributing to the sustainable prosperity of the province.
Sustainable procurement means taking responsibility for the long-term impacts of our purchasing and consumption decisions. We need to take a holistic approach by considering the environmental, economic, and societal impact of the purchases we make. Ultimately, we want our purchases of goods, services and construction to be better for our environment, our economy, and our communities.
It's a different approach and one that will impact government's purchasing decisions. Currently, the Province of Nova Scotia acquires over $800 million dollars annually of goods, services, and construction. This annual consumption can be a driver for change.
The Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act (EGSPA) of 2007 set out 21 goals(pdf) to make the province one of the cleanest and most sustainable environments in the world by 2020. One of these goals is the development and adoption of a sustainable procurement policy by 2009. A working group, with representatives from Economic Development, Environment, and Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, has been formed to guide the development of this policy. Stakeholder outreach has begun and stakeholder consultation will start in the summer of 2008. It is expected the policy will be finalized and put in to practice in early 2009.
Read more in the Path to Sustainable Procurement Discussion paper.
Nova Scotia’s economic growth strategy, Opportunities for Sustainable Prosperity , and its social strategy, Weaving the Threads: A Lasting Social Fabric, discuss how economic prosperity, social prosperity, and environmental sustainability weave together to support the sustainable prosperity of Nova Scotia.
Procurement Services is leading the evolution of sustainable procurement for the province. This policy and accompanying implementation framework will be the first step in coordinating and supporting existing government-wide efforts, and providing direction for making sustainable procurement the standard for all provincial procurement.
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