Public authorities and social economy entities are invited to take part in training activities organised as part of the WeBuySocialEU capacity-building efforts. The training events – delivered in the national languages – are designed to help stakeholders not only gain much-needed expertise in socially responsible public procurement but also to establish participants as the go-to person within their organisation for advice and expertise in this increasingly important field. These national training sessions are specifically tailored to professional and particular contexts, thanks to in-depth research and interviews conducted by national experts in autumn 2023.

For civil servants or public authority employees: You will learn how to design tendering procedures that are accessible to the social economy and include social aspects. You will learn how to include different types of social considerations across the procurement process, how to monitor their execution, as well as improve the knowledge of social economy entities in your country – how and in which markets they operate - to be able to design public tenders that are accessible to them.

For social economy entities: You will learn how to better compete for public tenders that include social considerations. You will discover how to form consortia among social economy entities and with conventional businesses, as well as how to participate in tenders as subcontractors.

The full agenda of the Belgian (Dutch language) training session can be found here. To express your interest, click here.

The European Commission's WeBuySocialEU initiative seeks to enhance social responsibility in public procurement by building capacity and awareness across the EU. The initiative aims to involve a broad spectrum of stakeholders, starting with public authorities and social economy entities across Europe, through tailored training events and comprehensive outreach on social media platforms. WeBuySocialEU encourages contracting authorities to integrate social considerations into their purchasing policies and practices. Simultaneously, it supports social economy actors in understanding and participating effectively in public procurement procedures. This effort also aims to foster collaboration and mutual understanding between the social economy and the public sector across the EU.

More information about the initiative can be found here.

The Procurement Summit is the exhibition for digitalisation and innovation in the procurement sector. In 2024, it will take place for the seventh time in Hamburg. The conference will feature two thrilling days of top-class speakers, panel discussions among leading experts, and workshops with applicable expertise such as innovative providers in the exhibition area.

The Procurement Summit was organised for the first time in 2018 and has been growing since. Its main focus is on digitalisation in purchasing. It aims to bring together startups and purchasing managers with key decision makers. More information about the summit can be found here.

The IPTF Conference offers an unparalleled platform for individuals within the innovation procurement ecosystem to unite and delve into the pivotal challenge of scaling-up through a three-part, interactive programme. The Conference, organised by the Innovation Procurement Task Force, aims to be a cornerstone for professionals in the procurement sector, offering unparalleled opportunities for learning, networking, and collaboration.

The Conference includes:

• Policy Perspectives on Scaling Up: this segment will unveil a variety of insightful, provocative perspectives from IPTF partners through succinct presentations. These insights will undergo critical examination by policy experts before opening the floor to debates with attendees or panel discussions.
• Capacity Building in Action: drawing from needs pinpointed earlier, this portion will highlight exemplary project outputs from PROCEDIN, Health InnoFacilitator, and BUILD. It aims to illustrate the application of resources and methodologies developed by these projects in fostering innovation procurement capacity building.
• Learning Lab: adopting a World Café approach, this session invites all attendees to contribute their knowledge towards collaboratively formulating strategies for the accelerated adoption and scaling up of innovation procurement

Throughout the day, there will be an explicit focus on exchanging insights on scaling-up innovation procurement, and identifying ways to amplify enablers and tackle barriers. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore displays showcasing the objectives and achievements of the IPTF projects.

For more information on the conference, and to register click here. Registration is free, participants are however explicitly asked to un-register if they cannot attend.

The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns (ESCT) will take place on 1-3 October in Aalborg, Denmark. All cities, partners and experts seeking to contribute to the sustainable transformation of our cities and regions are cordially invited to attend the 2024 edition of European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns, which also marks the 30th Anniversary of the Aalborg Charter (1994) and the 20th Anniversary of the Aalborg Commitments (2004).

Across Europe, cities and towns of all sizes are developing Local Green Deals, as a response to the European Green Deal. The European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns - also called Aalborg2024 - will take a closer look at the ongoing trends, challenges and opportunities that define these Local Green Deals, and ask how we can become powerful enablers of sustainable, local change.

Participants can expect a fertile environment for tackling the most pressing questions, leading to discussions, knowledge-sharing and problem-solving. The Conference aims to inspire and motivate participants to further develop connections made at all levels at the conference, and to put plans into practice, to realise an integrated response to the climate crisis. Together, let’s make the EU Green Deal a reality on the local level!

The city of Aalborg and Aalborg 2024 both boast a legacy of positive impact; a three-time host to the conference, Aalborg continues to inspire change and innovation across Europe. In past years, governance tools such as Local Green Deals and Climate City Contracts have been developed to help local and regional governments bring stakeholders together and integrate their ambitions. Aalborg 2024 will look at local experiences with these tools so far and will explore what support is needed from EU decision makers in 2024.

Aalborg 2024 will maintain its characteristic informative, open, and interactive ambiance, upholding its 'PowerPoint free' format. Participants are enthusiastically invited to share their experiences and perspectives on an array of topics that delve into the challenges inherent in innovating to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises.

More information on Aalborg 2024, including on the programme and how to register, can be found at the Conference website

The 2024 Electronics Watch Annual Conference, "Public Procurement and the Evolving Due Diligence Landscape", will take place from 6-7 November in Brussels, Belgium. It is co-hosted by the Flemish Agency for Facility Operations (Het Facilitair Bedrijf), with support from the Flemish Government.

The Annual Conference facilitates learning and exchange at the intersection of socially responsible public procurement and labour rights, and provides a unique opportunity for Electronics Watch affiliates and monitoring partners to meet face-to-face. It will raise awareness about the issues workers are facing, and how they can be addressed through the public procurement process.

Programme

Wednesday, 6 November 2024

(The morning sessions are open to external, invited guests.)
9:00 – 9:30 Welcome
9:30 – 11:00 The evolving regulatory landscape: a revolution or a missed opportunity?
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00 Accountability for business harms: stories from workers' rights defenders from the mines to the factories
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
(The remainder of the agenda is restricted to affiliates and monitoring partners)
14:00 – 15:30 Expectations, realities, and trade-offs: conversations with monitoring partners and public buyers
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 – 17:30 Collective leverage in action
17:30 – 18:00 Closing remarks

Thursday, 7 November 2024

9:00 – 10:30 Public procurement innovation: updates from affiliates
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30 Simulation game
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Obtaining credible evidence with limited access: updates from monitoring partners
15:30 – 15:45 Coffee break
15:45 – 16:30 Wrap-up and thanks

For more information, and to register click here