26 March 2008 – QEII Conference Centre, London

Planning for the planet

Sustainable procurement can no longer be considered optional – it is a critical part of the overall purchasing process. That was the message delegates at the GO Maintaining the Future conference heard, reports Grahame Steed.

Anyone who doubts that the environment is changing, and not for the better, would probably also be welcomed as a member of the Flat Earth Society. The environment certainly is changing, and whether the effects are part of a natural cycle hastened by man, or entirely man-made, is almost irrelevant. The fact is, we cannot continue to consume resources and disregard the consequences in the way we have been for at least the past century.

Public procurement has a pivotal role to play in matters of sustainability. The simple fact that the UK public sector spends in excess of £150 billion per year on virtually every product and service imaginable demands that the impact of its purchases be considered as fully as their cost. However, sustainability is not just about the environmental consequences of our actions, but also the social and economic consequences of them.

Delegates at the Government Opportunities magazine Maintaining the Future conference, held at the QEII Conference Centre in London at the end of March, were left in no doubt as to the responsibilities of both buyers and suppliers. The conference, organised by BiP Solutions, sponsored by NEC Computers and Office Depot, and supported by an array of environmentally focused organisations, delivered some hard-hitting messages – but also some encouragement and updates on progress.

Speakers included David Smith, Commercial Director at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP); Graham Randles, Programme Manager for the Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code, London Remade; David Wathey, Head of Sustainable Procurement at the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency; Will Martin, Procurement Strategy Manager at the Environment Agency; Carl Meewezen, Interim Director Performance and Measurement at the OGC; Jonathan Ibikunle, Head of Design at Partnerships for Schools; and Barbara Morton, Director of Action Sustainability.

Setting the magnitude of environmental change into context was Mark Lynas, author of High Tide: News from a Warming World and Six Degrees. A short film, produced by Mr Lynas for the National Geographic channel, graphically illustrated the dramatic impact that an increase of even a single degree in the earth’s average temperature would have. The film, and Mr Lynas’ commentary, then demonstrated the impact of between two and six degrees increase in temperature; with the impact of the latter being cataclysmic. Sobering stuff; however, Mr Lynas said that while mankind is close to the tipping point for irreversible change to the environment, progress is being made that could prevent this from being inevitable.

Progress is being made, and it was clear from speakers representing both the public and private sectors that sustainability is core to their agendas; not least the DWP.

David Smith’s presentation highlighted the challenges his Department faces, and the measures that it has already put into place to ensure it contributes fully to the sustainability agenda. In outlining the DWP’s Sustainable Development action plan, Mr Smith said it was something that those working for and with the Department should want to engage with, and not simply have to. Cultural change, especially in an organisation of over 100,000 staff, is not easy to achieve, however.

The impact of public procurement upon the environment can be seen in virtually every requirement that the public sector has; however, construction is one area where the effects are particularly strongly felt.

With a vast number of public sector construction projects under way – from regenerating the housing stock to building new roads – the level of activity in this sector is significant. Add to this one-off projects such as the creation of infrastructure for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and it is easy to see that any improvements in the approach taken to construction projects could yield enormous benefit. Will Martin, Graham Randles, Jonathan Ibikunle, Barbara Morton and Dr David Moon, Programme Manager, Construction Procurement at WRAP, spoke at length on initiatives currently in place, and the size of the task going forward. The importance of sustainability being considered from the design phase of projects was consistently underlined.

The sustainability agenda is set to expand and become yet more challenging for all involved in the delivery of public services. Each speaker at the conference made it clear that there is much work to be done. The environment is under threat, but there is clear opportunity to turn the situation around – and the public sector, working with its private sector partners, has a fundamental role to play in this.