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May 12, 2025
The City of Espoo (Finland) has decided to transform Kera, a formerly industrial/logistic area into a sustainable city district, in line with circular economy principles. Public procurement plays a key role here, which is why the Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) Community of Practice (CoP) on New European Bauhaus (NEB) visited it during the BBWT annual event in Helsinki.
Espoo’s work in the Kera district is founded on four key principles established in the Kera development commitment. It points out that everything should be done in close cooperation with residents and other stakeholders and that Espoo must make use of low-emission and carbon binding solutions to help its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Furthermore, the circular economy principles should be implemented whenever possible, and the district is obliged to draw up a development plan highlighting how the solutions are implemented so that Kera can become an (inter)national reference point.
The goals of the commitment were defined in extensive cooperation with local operators and stakeholders and the city takes a similar approach in the implementation of its solutions. Although in Kera this approach is formalised, the city had positive experiences with collaborative market and citizen engagement from the past. A great example was a project focusing on the development of procurement criteria for construction plastics. To define these criteria, the city interviewed plastic suppliers as well as public authorities; based on these interviews it developed a draft it presented in an interactive workshop, representing the entire value chain, highlighting what is feasible or not and which demands can be met.
In the end, the developed criteria, which ended up being applied to Kera as well, required suppliers to collect their waste on all construction sites, track the percentage of recycled material, and get more data on it. Furthermore, the tender criteria sought to align to some extent with the national ecological criteria on plastic recycling, requiring suppliers to apply certain ecological agreements in practice.
For the NEB CoP these insights proved highly valuable. Even though the project was not planned with the NEB principles in mind it was still aligned with its values. Participants were very keen to learn about Espoo’s collaborative approaches, concluding that municipalities should engage more with the private sector as it has valuable procedural knowledge.
More details at ICLEI Sustainable Procurement Platform.
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May 6, 2025
Shouldn’t all children have access to a healthy meal each school day and adequate food education? With one in three children in Europe overweight or obese, and more than half of adults projected to be overweight by 2050, poor nutrition is fueling a public health crisis. But school meal programmes offer a powerful solution, ensuring students receive and are educated about proper nutrition to support their well-being and academic success.
Across Europe, over 90 million students attend schools and universities. Therefore, the provision of healthy, nutritious meals in these institutions, coupled with comprehensive food education, presents a significant opportunity to address food insecurity and reduce health disparities.
As leader of ICLEI’s Global CityFood Programme, ICLEI Europe is a strong advocate for food system transformation at local, national, and global levels, believing in the transformative power of public procurement with the market for social food services estimated at 82 billion euros. The meals served in schools and other public institutions therefore have a significant impact on our climate and public health and by leveraging our purchasing power cities and local governments can be key drivers of this change.
Cities leading the way on sustainable school meals
ICLEI and its Members drive change and counteract the obesity trend through initiatives like SchoolFood4Change (SF4C) and Buy Better Food, which promote public health with a holistic approach. By prioritising nutritious food, sourced through sustainable public procurement and paired with education, these initiatives demonstrate how local policies can accelerate the transition to a healthier food system.
As part of SF4C, several ICLEI Members are spearheading school meal transformations, including Umeå and Malmö (Sweden), Vienna (Austria), Tallinn (Estonia), Ghent (Belgium), and Copenhagen (Denmark). The impact of their actions is evident: more than 650,000 pupils are already being reached through SF4C activities, and, thanks to improved procurement processes, over 3,200 schools across 22 countries are serving healthier, more sustainable meals.
For example, Ghent has overhauled its school meal programme, increasing plant-based meals and incorporating locally sourced and organic ingredients. Meanwhile, more than 90% of the meals served in SF4C schools in Copenhagen are from organically certified products. Following the project's holistic concept to school food, the city focuses not only on putting out ambitious food tenders, but similarly on community-building and education activities. These are the kinds of activities that enable cities and regions to advance important social and political issues.
Aligning local action with European policy
These efforts align closely with the European Child Guarantee, an initiative launched by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to protect vulnerable children from social exclusion. The initiative strives to ensure access to essential services, including at least one healthy school meal a day. A recent report highlights the wide-ranging benefits of school meal programmes, reinforcing the need for continued investment in this area.
Already around half of EU Member States have integrated school meals into their National Action Plans for the EU Child Guarantee, yet there is no unified EU vision that aligns existing programmes on school nutrition across the European Commission’s Directorates-General. ICLEI Europe recently leveraged intergenerational dialogue, incorporating the voices of young people who are directly affected by school food programmes, to make this case to the European Parliament.
On International School Meals Day (13 March), European decision-makers heard directly from students about the need to have healthy school meals and food education for all children. ICLEI Europe and IFOAM Organics Europe, along with young students and city representatives, took this message to the heart of European policy making, meeting with several EU Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France).
During this event, a delegation of schoolchildren from Germany’s Markgräfler Gymnasium in Müllheim presented two EU Commissioners, Christophe Hansen (Agriculture and Food) and Olivér Várhelyi (Health and Food Safety), with a petition of over 111,000 signatures, calling for healthy school meals paired with food education for all children. At the event, Commissioner Várhelyi highlighted the importance of early food education: “Eating habits are formed from a very young age and schools can be the place where children learn about nutrition. This requires a strong commitment from everyone involved, as school catering is the starting point for a healthy life.”
Following the discussion in Strasbourg, a second delegation of ICLEI Europe advocates accompanied a group of young people to meet in Brussels (Belgium) with Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport. When asked by one pupil, “If ‘food’ is so important, why do we learn so little about it at school?,” the Commissioner emphasised the importance of food literacy as a life skill and the need to integrate it into the education system.
Taken as a whole, through these meetings with high-level politicians, ICLEI has shown that several policy arenas of the European Commission unite under the topic of ‘school meals and food education’, making cooperation across different departments even more important.
Taking action: Support the movement for better school meals
The momentum for healthier, more sustainable school meals is growing, but continued action is needed to turn advocacy into lasting change. To support this effort, EU residents can sign the petition for healthy school meals for every child in every school, which already has more than 111,000 signatures. The petition’s signatures support ICLEI Europe’s call for setting an EU-wide standard for healthy school meals and food education for all children and a shared EU vision, in line with the European Child Guarantee.
Local governments, NGOs and for-profit organisations can take action by endorsing the Buy Better Food Manifesto, developed in cooperation with the EU Food Policy Coalition. The Manifesto sets clear criteria to guide cities in adopting more sustainable food procurement models, demonstrating how prioritising ingredients from small-scale and organic farmers can foster a win-win-win for public health, nature and farmers alike.
By leveraging the power of the public plate, cities and local governments can drive meaningful transformation in our food systems—ensuring a healthier and more sustainable future for Europe.
More details at ICLEI Europe website.
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April 27, 2025
[Expert View] As the urgency for environmental and social responsibility grows, organizations are changing their approach to sustainable purchasing from simply meeting compliance requirements to actively implementing sustainable practices. Barton Finn, our expert on sustainable procurement, emphasizes the rising expectations for transparency, local sourcing, and innovation in procurement strategies.
This article is an edited version of content initially published on Decision-achats.fr.
1. From “why” to “how”
“Ten years ago, convincing organizations to adopt responsible purchasing practices was challenging,” explains Barton Finn. Since then, the debate has moved from “why” to “how.” Awareness has already been raised; the emphasis is now on concrete implementation supported by tools, methodologies and shared resources.
2. From incentive to obligation, and the art of turning it into opportunities
Legislation is evolving rapidly. In Europe, new approaches such as mandatory sustainable public procurement considerations and environmental reporting obligations are transforming a voluntary approach into a legal imperative. “These requirements, directly or indirectly, force companies to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of their purchases,” emphasizes Barton Finn.
3. Increasing demand for reliable data
The accuracy of information regarding products and services is becoming increasingly important. “Companies are now required to provide tangible evidence of their sustainability claims,” emphasizes Barton Finn. This shift, prompted by new regulations and heightened consumer awareness, fosters a more transparent environment. In other words, purchasing departments seek to go beyond mere statements and strengthen their relationships with suppliers by relying on accurate and reliable data.
4. The rise of local purchasing
Due to geopolitical tensions and concerns about supply chains, local purchasing is becoming increasingly important. “The European Union, once a strong advocate for free competition, is starting to favor local suppliers, especially in public procurement,” notes Barton Finn.
5. New dedicated functions
Companies and public administrations are now incorporating specialized roles focused on responsible purchasing. Barton Finn notes, “The increase in skills in this area is remarkable. We are witnessing the emergence of positions such as “Sustainable Purchasing Manager” and “Sustainability Officer,” which demonstrate a serious commitment to sustainability. From a strategic perspective, organizations progressively integrate social responsibility considerations into their purchasing processes to align with sustainable development objectives. Some purchasing functions also contribute to corporate social responsibility (CSR), particularly when a significant part of the carbon footprint falls under scope 3 emissions. Additionally, companies are investing in training their teams to incorporate sustainability principles into their purchasing practices.”
6. Increased requirements on supply chains
Companies seek to ensure that their suppliers meet standards equivalent to those applied in Europe, particularly regarding working conditions. Barton Finn explains: “This reflects a growing awareness of the global impact of purchasing on human rights and the environment.” This trend is becoming more acute as consumers and regulators alike demand greater visibility on the origin of products.
7. The rise of technological platforms and tools
Organizations are adopting digital tools to monitor supplier performance and analyze sustainability risks. Barton Finn explains that when you buy products marked with TCO Certified, you can access independently verified data and claims to help you measure sustainability impacts. Data is available in Product Finder, and in the tool Report Generator, you can create customized IT product sustainability reports based on the certified IT products you buy and use.
8. The boom in reconditioned and circular
The market for reconditioned goods, particularly in the IT sector, is experiencing structural development. “This reflects a major change in mentalities, where the circular economy is becoming the norm rather than the exception,” explains Finn. Companies are turning to models that promote product reuse, repair and recycling to reduce their ecological footprint.
Learn more at TCO website.
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category : Topics
April 21, 2025
In ICLEI Member Helsinki (Finland), the Soittaja kindergarten, the tram line to Pasila and the Olympic stadium have little in common at first sight. However, the city has used sustainable public procurement methods in the construction and/or transformation in all these sites, making them more environmentally friendly, circular and adaptable. During the Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) annual event, organised by ICLEI Europe, public buyers gathering in Helsinki will have the opportunity to visit and learn more about them!
The Soittaja day-care centre is the first Nordic Swan ecolabelled building built by the City of Helsinki. The kindergarten was completed in 2024 and has space for 244 children. Buildings with a Nordic Swan ecolabel pay attention to the well-being of both the environment and the users of the premises. For example, in addition to energy efficiency, the origin of building materials and recycling solutions, the impact of materials on indoor air quality is also taken into account. During the study visit, participants will learn about the construction phase of the project and the application process for the eco-label.
The design and construction of the tramline from Kalatama to Patina was specifically focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation, the promotion of biodiversity and circular economy solution. The visit will also include a stop at the Closing Loops warehouse, built using only recycled materials. The building is one of the few concrete examples of circular economy construction in a permanent setting in the world.
In 1952 Helsinki hosted the Summer Olympic Games. Its Olympic stadium has been recently renovated with a special focus on the environment and circular economy. The visit will focus in particular on procurement of both new turf materials and ways to process old turfs when they reach their end of life. As part of the PlastLIFE project, funded by the EU Life programme, and coordinated by the Finnish Environment Institute, the City of Helsinki has been conducting a pilot to procure circular solutions for end-of-life turfs.
Learn more at ICLEI Europe website.
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April 14, 2025
This Results Framework outlines the activities that the 10YFP Secretariat through its One Planet Network proposes to undertake during the biennium 2025 and 2026, subject to available resources, to implement the Global Strategy for Sustainable Consumption and Production (2023-2030).
The rationale for creating this new Framework is based on incorporating insights from the 2023-2024 Results Framework, while strengthening impact-driven interventions and flagship initiatives to attract stronger financial and political support. This new Results Framework responds to the 10YFP Board’s request for an updated framework, ensuring relevance and effectiveness in advancing the Global Strategy for SCP. The activities for the biennium are structured around the same four outcomes as the 2023-2024 Results Framework, ensuring alignment with the Global Strategy for SCP. For each outcome, a succinct description of the overall objectives, rationale and approach is presented. The outcomes are underpinned by four ‘areas of excellence’ comprised of Public Procurement, Skills and Lifestyles, Consumer Information and Governance & Mainstreaming. These core functions and activities of the Secretariat play a crucial role in supporting the implementation of the Global Strategy for SCP.
Learn more at UNEP One Planet Network website.
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April 8, 2025
IISD recently launched reports on GPP in India, Indonesia, and South Africa, highlighting key insights and high-level recommendations. It also explored practical tools and strategies to address implementation barriers and unlock GPP’s potential. Watch the recording to learn how these economies are using GPP to advance sustainable development and tackle climate challenges.
This report examines how South Africa can leverage its significant public procurement spending to advance environmental sustainability. It analyzes the current green public procurement (GPP) landscape, regulatory frameworks, and implementation tools, and identifies key barriers and solutions. The report also provides practical recommendations for mainstreaming GPP across all levels of government.
More details at IISD website.
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March 31, 2025
IISD recently launched reports on GPP in India, Indonesia, and South Africa, highlighting key insights and high-level recommendations. It also explored practical tools and strategies to address implementation barriers and unlock GPP’s potential. Watch the recording to learn how these economies are using GPP to advance sustainable development and tackle climate challenges.
This report analyzes the state of green public procurement (GPP) in India, examining progress in the field, persisting challenges, and opportunities for more sustainable government procurement. It analyzes India's legal framework for GPP, highlights case studies and practical tools, and recommends four tangible steps for advancing GPP in the country.
More details at the IISD website.
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March 24, 2025
IISD recently launched reports on GPP in India, Indonesia, and South Africa, highlighting key insights and high-level recommendations. It also explored practical tools and strategies to address implementation barriers and unlock GPP’s potential. Watch the recording to learn how these economies are using GPP to advance sustainable development and tackle climate challenges.
This report explores the state of green public procurement (GPP) in Indonesia, examining relevant policies, practices, and challenges. It analyzes Indonesia's legal framework for GPP, highlights case studies, and evaluates the tools used for implementation. The report also offers recommendations for advancing GPP in Indonesia, including enhancing capacity building and improving monitoring mechanisms to promote GPP practices.
More details at the IISD website.
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March 17, 2025
This specific good practice "Ecolabels criteria for electronics and their use in sustainable public procurement" highlights the potential of using ecolabels to enhance sustainable public procurement (SPP) in the electronic sector. TCO Certified and EPEAT are some of the examples that have robust criteria addressing critical environmental and social aspects related to ICT products, including CO2 emissions, hazardous substances, and e-waste. Successful examples demonstrate how governments are using these ecolabels to simplify SPP processes and accelerate sustainability in the electronics market.
Available in English and Spanish.
This series of 20 good practices reflects experiences on ecolabelling, sustainable public procurement, or the joint use of ecolabelling and sustainable public procurement that have demonstrated positive impacts on fostering sustainable consumption and production — for this reason, they are called "good practices.” These good practices aim to promote global exchange by providing information and examples of various approaches that entities from different countries and contexts can apply to strengthen the use of ecolabels and sustainable public procurement. They were developed as an outcome of the Working Group on Ecolabelling from the Consumer Information Programme, under the One Planet network, and the EcoAdvance project, jointly implemented by the German Cooperation for Development (GIZ), the United Nations for Environmental Protection (UNEP), and the Oeko Institute, funded by the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, nuclear safety and consumer protection (BMUV), and the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
More details at One Planet Network website.
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