Under the motto “Leave no one behind”, the UNDP Uzbekistan has demonstrated how public procurement can drive sustainable development by modernising water infrastructure and providing clean water access to remote communities in Karakalpakstan, a region severely affected by environmental degradation.
The project, which enables residents to remain in their homes despite environmental challenges, earned UNDP Uzbekistan the Procura+ Award for Global Initiative of the Year. The Awards are an initiative of ICLEI Europe’s Procura+ Network, which brings together public authorities committed to sustainable and innovation procurement.
This year marked a milestone for the Procura+ Awards, as the Global Initiative of the Year category was open to public authorities outside Europe for the first time. The expanded competition drew projects from every continent, with finalists from Brazil, New Zealand and Uzbekistan.
The Awards were presented during the Procura+ Seminar, hosted by the Province of Zeeland in Middelburg, the Netherlands. In the Sustainable Procurement of the Year category, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) was recognised for using a tender to install 101 electric bus charging points at 36 locations across Berlin. The project embeds Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence principles, promoting decent work, fair wages and climate-friendly supply chains. The other finalists in this category were Bretagne porte de Loire Communauté (France) and the Municipality of Oeiras (Portugal)
In the Innovation Procurement of the Year category, Orléans Métropole won for its pioneering project aligning with EU Directives on energy neutrality in wastewater treatment. The initiative significantly reduces local greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrates that innovative procurement models can deliver replicable, high-impact climate solutions without creating additional financial burdens for public authorities. The other two finalists in this category were the City of Oslo (Norway) and ANCI Toscana (Italy)
The Province of Zeeland, which hosted this year’s seminar, has a strong record in sustainable public procurement. In 2021, it received the Procura+ Award for Sustainable Procurement of the Year for integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into every procurement process. Since then, Zeeland has continued to lead by example, using tenders to monitor and offset CO₂ emissions, electrify its municipal fleet and stimulate the local market.
“We tell our suppliers that if they do not become sustainable and green now, they will not exist in ten years,” said Martin Scherpenisse, Head of Procurement for the Province of Zeeland. “Sustainable procurement is a must for the local economy.
More information about the projects of all finalists can be found on the Procura+ Website here.