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The state as a role model for sustainable consumption

In an article published this week, Parliamentary State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter underlines the important role public procurement plays in a transition towards a more sustainable society.

The German politician points to the fact that public procurement accounts for about 11 per cent of German GDP - showing that it can be used as a powerful instrument to implement sustainable consumption. The public sector can provide incentives for market players to focus more on sustainability and to support the market of green products.

Ambitious sustainable public procurement (SPP) policies pave the way for public authorities to purchase more sustainably – yet the social dimension of implementing change is key as well. ‘Employees have to be made aware of the changes in their work routine that will follow sustainable procurement decisions’, says Ms. Schwarzelühr-Sutter.

Behavior and organisational change are also key topics at this year’s EcoProcura Conference (3 – 5 October, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

To read the full article by Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter click here.