Procurement tips
Green products are items that are environmentally friendly.
When possible buy products that are:
- less toxic
- minimally polluting
- energy efficient
- safer and healthier for patients, workers and the environment
- easier to repair
- easier to recycle
- using less packaging
- more durable (have a longer life time)
- locally produced (travel short transport distances)
High environmental-impact products and services
Products and services that have the highest environmental impacts are:
- transport
- energy
- construction
- food and catering services
- cleaning products and services
- textiles and uniforms
- IT equipment
- paper
Quick wins when procuring green products
- Ask your supplier if they have a sustainable alternative to your standard supplies.
- Buy from local suppliers where possible to reduce impacts from transport.
- Select lower-energy-use equipment like A-rated or EU Ecolabel.
- Replace standard paper for FSC certified or recycled paper.
- Avoid single-use products unless there is a clinical requirement.
- Switch from using disposable to reusable products.
- Do a review when renewing contracts and replace standard products for sustainable alternatives.
- Take into account the necessity, packaging, and environmental impact when requesting supplies.
Resources
Green Public Procurement: Adoption, Monitoring and Reporting by Government Departments Report
This outlines your statutory obligations when buying these products.
Green Tenders Action Plan on GPP (PDF, 856KB, 74 pages)
Buying Green! - A Handbook on green public procurement
Sustainable Public Procurement in European Healthcare (PDF, 8.69 KB, 8 pages)
Related topic
Energy supply contracts
