Scottish procurement policy handbook

10. Sustainable Procurement Duty

The Sustainable Procurement Duty requires that, before a public body carries out a Regulated Procurement, it must consider how, in conducting the procurement process, it can improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the area in which it operates, and in carrying out the procurement, to act with a view to securing improvements as identified. The duty also requires public bodies to consider how their procurement process can facilitate the involvement of SMEs, the third sector and supported businesses, and how the procurement can be used to promote innovation.

Information on sustainable procurement policies can be found on the Scottish Government’s Public sector procurement policy webpage.

Guidance and support are available, which includes statutory guidance on the Sustainable Procurement Duty and the Sustainable Procurement Tools (these tools include a practical methodology to address economic, social and environmental considerations through procurement, as well as e-learning and case studies).

Specific policy on measuring social impact in public procurement is contained in SPPN 10/2020. Other socio-economic and environmental considerations are addressed further on in this Handbook.

This suite of support can help identify and address opportunities to optimise the economic, social and environmental outcomes of procurement activities.