PUBLIC PROCUREMENT NEWS

  

News

2 October 2019

How can public procurement make ICT fair?

What can public buyers do to improve working conditions and leverage human rights across the global electronics supply-chain - all the way from mining to manufacturing?

Aiming to find some answers to this complex question, the Procura+ Interest Group on Socially Responsible Public Procurement of ICT, managed by ICLEI Europe, gathered for a two-day workshop in Stockholm, Sweden.

Members of the Interest Group include the host of the meeting - Region Stockholm, APUC Scotland, Electronics Watch, as well as Procura+ Participants Barcelona City Council, City of Haarlem, Stavanger Kommune, City of Malmö and Rijkswaterstaat.

A key element of the workshop was to exchange on the five pilot actions delivered under the Make ICT Fair project: What have we learned? What are the main obstacles using award criteria, technical specifications and verification schemes? Check this page to follow the pilot action as it continues in the coming months. 

Another focus of the workshop was the discussion around fair and circular ICT: What does circular ICT mean? What are the potential synergies and trade-offs? The group also had the opportunity to exchange with resellers, focussing on their unique role in the value chain and their perspective on the future of fair and circular ICT service models.

Reflecting on the fruitful exchange, public procurement holds powerful leverage that can shape the quality of supply-chains not only for the products themselves but for workers involved throughout it. Looking ahead, it will be crucial to continue asking many questions, to exchange knowledge, learn from pilot action and invest in market dialogue.

Learn more about the Interest Group here.

Engage with the work of Make ICT Fair on twitter using #MakeICTFair