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9 May 2019

Public ICT Procurement Germany: new commitment to comply with labor & social standards

In a joint initiative, the Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BeschA) and the digital association Bitkom have updated the purchasing conditions for socially sustainable procurement of ICT products and services for the German context.

The updated version extends the obligations of suppliers and resellers of ICT products and services to respect fair working conditions even further than before. In production, the ILO core labor standards, such as the ban on child and slave labor, non-discrimination and the right to collective bargaining, have long been considered. In addition, standards for occupational safety and use of chemicals, minimum wages, weekly working hours and social security apply.

Also, the verification requirements for companies become more stringent. According to the declaration, public procurers in the federal, state and local governments will be able to check whether large-scale contracts up to the third stage of the supply chain are transparent and review whether social labor standards have been complied with in the production of the procurement item.

Advancing social responsibility in the ICT sector showcases how procurement can harness the leverage for postive change e.g. tackling adverse issues such as forced labor. ICLEI works on this challenge as part of the Make ICT Fair project, piloting socially responsible tenders across Europe.

Access the full declaration here.