International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

57.4.1 UK Public Sector
Central Central Central Government
Government
Across the Government there is a hierarchy of support for the development and
implementation of green procurement policy. This includes Defra, responsible for
developing green procurement policy across Government departments, the Chief
Sustainability Officer and the Centre of Expertise in Sustainable Procurement at the
Office of Government Commerce. These groups are guided by the Sustainable
Development Commission who act as an independent watchdog.
In 2005 the Government’s sustainable development strategy set the ambitious goal
of becoming a sustainable procurement leader amongst EU member states by 2009.
This was followed by a Sustainable Procurement Action Plan published in 2007 and
most recently a Delivery Plan in 2008.
A main issue with the Government’s strategy is the lack of measurability. There is not
one single quantified goal, just the statement regarding leadership within the EU.
Progress is measured against a series of initiatives which include:
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� The Framework for Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate;
� Sustainable Procurement Action Plan;
� Quick Wins standards; and
� The Sustainable Procurement Task Force’s Flexible Framework.
The most recent progress report, ‘Addressing the Environmental Impacts of
Government Procurement’ focused on four main procurement categories which were
energy, information and communications technology, office supplies and services and
vehicle fleets. The report covers five areas of government which account for a high
percentage of the Government’s overall expenditure which are the Department for
Work and Pensions (DWP), HM Revenue and Customs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry
of Justice and the health service. 1064
The main findings from the National Audit Office’s progress report suggest that of the
five departments investigated only the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply
Agency (NHS PASA) are reaching the required level of sustainable procurement a year
in advance of the requirement, according to the Sustainable Procurement Task
Force’s Flexible Framework. The DWP are also on target to fulfil this goal but the other
three departments are,
‘some way from having embedded sustainable procurement into their working
practices’. 1065
1064 National Audit Office (2009) Addressing the Environmental Impacts of Government Procurement,
Available: http://www.nao.org.uk//idoc.ashx?docId=56417d76-45d6-4181-916cda4c00b1bc88&version=-1
1065 National Audit Office (2009) Addressing the Environmental Impacts of Government Procurement,
Available: http://www.nao.org.uk//idoc.ashx?docId=56417d76-45d6-4181-916cda4c00b1bc88&version=-1