Public sector leadership on the global climate emergency: guidance

Appendix A

We encourage senior leaders and budget holders to:

1. Take action on their shared accountability to engage procurement early in the planning and development stages of projects and to make and enable decisions on whether you buy; what you buy; how you buy and how much you buy.

2. Ensure corporate commitments are aligned to Scotland’s climate change public bodies duties and the Programme for Government commitments (2019-20 and 2020-21), including transitioning your organisation to lower emission solutions and facilitating procurement action. This includes, for example, transitioning to ultra-low emission fleets, renewable energy and heat; and low carbon buildings and materials.

3. Create a culture and ways of working that support a circular economy, taking what we appreciate are difficult decisions on how much your organisation buys and consumes.

4. Reflect your commitment to climate and circular economy obligations in your annual procurement strategy; and report progress against these commitments in your annual procurement reports, demonstrating how you are using your procurement spend to support your organisation’s response to the global climate emergency.

How you can impact what, how and how much you buy?

Whether you buy: Service areas should be encouraged to revisit and re-think need. This may result in an overhaul in requirements, or more minor re-thinks. Perhaps existing goods, works and services are good enough, can be used for longer or can be reused, refurbished or repaired.

What you buy: Specifications must consider our climate ambitions, ensuring early engagement with procurement colleagues and other relevant stakeholder to provide the best chance of maximising the contribution that procurement can make. Perhaps you can buy refurbished, repaired or pre-used, rather than new. Solutions should be future-proofed to allow for refurbishment, remanufacture and repair, as well as emerging technology.

How you buy: Budget holders must understand and actively support a strong focus on climate considerations within procurements, helping to achieve a balance of economic, social and environmental outcomes in procurement decisions. Additional focus must be placed upon whole life costing.

How much you buy: There may be an opportunity to review your corporate appetite, governance and influence to support climate and circular economy outcomes, including through improved demand management. For example, introducing targeted spend controls or restricting choices through contracts.

As Scotland emerges from COVID-19, we have a chance to build a greener, fairer and more equal society and economy. A green recovery will deliver economic, social and environmental wellbeing and respond to the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. We are grateful for your continued strong leadership and support in the national endeavor to tackle the global climate emergency.