https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Exclusive survey: green procurement trends

Exclusive survey: green procurement trends

  • Written by rodwellj
  • 20th September 2018

More than 70 percent of purchasers report that they include environmental performance specifications in government contracts at least sometimes, according to a May 2014 survey conducted by Government Procurement. Eleven percent report that they always do.

The survey also reveals that a third of government purchasing organizations report they have a formal green purchasing policy, and another 26 percent have an informal one. The survey results identify the variety of green purchasing activities under way across North America.

The brief 20-question survey results reflect interesting growth in the green purchasing world over the past five years since a similar study of government purchasers was last conducted. This article summarizes some of the new survey’s key findings.

Does you organization have a green purchasing policy?
Green Purchasing is a Popular Policy Tool

Sixty percent of government purchasers have a formal or informal green purchasing policy in place.
Forty-four percent of governments without a green purchasing policy plan to implement one.

Do you include environmental performance requirements in product specifications of contracts?
Green Purchasing Continues to Grow

More than 70 percent of purchasers report that they at least sometimes include environmental performance specifications in contracts, with 11 percent reporting that they always do.
Forty-one percent of government purchasers report that their organizations are more active in green purchasing than a year ago.

Sixty-one percent indicate that their organization will be even more active in green purchasing two years from now.

Does your organization have experience including environmental considerations in the following product categories?
There Are a Variety of Green Purchasing Opportunities

The bar graph identifies some of the most common green purchasing opportunities. Additional product categories identified by the survey respondents include: appliances, vehicles, lighting and laboratory supplies.

One respondent explained that all request for proposals (RFPs) include a 25 percent point allocation for sustainability-related issues, which surely covers an even broader array of products and services.

Does your office have any of the following programs?
Other Green Activities Are Increasing

Government purchasers are recycling more at the office and engaging in other “green” activities at higher rates now than in 2007 when the question was last asked. Paper recycling initiatives have increased from 88 to 95 percent of offices. Paper reduction efforts have increased from 53 to 75 percent of offices. And 15 percent of government purchasing offices now have a zero waste initiative.

In addition, government purchasers reported increased recycling of toner cartridges, organic food waste, batteries and electronics.

Environmental Labels are a Trusted Source of Environmental Information

Greenwashing – that is, manufacturers making potentially false or misleading environmental claims about their products – is a problem for 35 percent of government purchasers, with another 50 percent indicating that they are not sure if it is a problem. Only 15 percent stated that greenwashing is not a problem.
Fifty percent of government purchasers believe environmental labels help make better purchasing decisions, although 25 percent are unsure if they help or not.

Unfortunately, due to a coding error in the online survey questions designed to indicate which environmental labels are referenced most frequently, it is impossible to identify the labels in order of popularity. Several labels were referenced by respondents in their open comments, including:

  • EnerGuide
  • Energy Star
  • EPEAT
  • Fair Trade
  • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
  • Green Seal
  • UL ECOLOGO
  • UL GREENGUARD

One participant emphasized the importance of environmental labels by suggesting that his or her organization will use “any [eco-label] we can get.”

Tags:

Related Content

  • Government agencies need to update and modernize their IT services
  • Building back better starts by addressing the systems that move us
  • Local governments can expand and enhance access to health care
  • Innovative leaders are making one unexpected change to save money and improve service

White papers


How to Assemble a Rockstar Website Redesign Steering Committee

7th June 2022

Hand Hygiene: Compliance Matters

23rd May 2022

What it Takes to Build a Winning Esports Program

23rd May 2022
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

We want to hear from you! Please take this brief survey and let us know how your organization is managing your budg… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

30th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Report: Reforming emergency dispatch won’t be easy, but it’s necessary dlvr.it/ST7kQ5

30th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Three U.S. cities to adopt Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge-winning project to combat climate change dlvr.it/ST4bjk

29th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

10 cities ideal for hybrid or full-time telecommuters seeking an outdoor lifestyle dlvr.it/ST4T5g

29th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Take American City & County’s budgeting survey dlvr.it/ST0qQP

28th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Six cities and counties will take stock of underutilized assets in Rethinking Revenue incubator dlvr.it/ST0ZVp

28th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Seamless Cooperative Experience Saves Indiana City Exponentially in Time and Money dlvr.it/SSxp95

27th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

10 best large cities for fishing dlvr.it/SSxbSZ

27th June 2022

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X