Scotland’s largest civil society coalitions in joint call for fair and sustainable procurement
Today, the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) coalition joined forces with the Enough Food for Everyone IF campaign to highlight the urgent need for ethical economic, social and environmental sustainability to be prioritised in the forthcoming Procurement Reform Bill.
Public sector spending on goods and services across Scotland amounts to over £9 billion per year. The Government consultation on the Procurement Reform Bill closed on 2nd November 2012 and the Government’s report on the consultation was published in January. The draft Bill is expected to be laid in Parliament before the summer recess 2013.
Tom Ballantine, SCCS’ Chair will tell the Sustainable Procurement conference at Holyrood:
“The initial intention behind this Bill, to achieve more sustainable procurement, has been lost. Making sustainable and ethical procurement the norm is a key opportunity for Scotland to deliver on climate change targets and signal a clear shift towards a low carbon economy.
“We urge Nicola Sturgeon to take on board what’s said at today’s conference when overseeing the drafting of the Bill. She must ensure a Bill that prioritises environmental and social sustainability and does not ignore these urgent issues in the pursuit of short-term economic gains.”
Chris Hegarty, spokesperson for the IF campaign said:
“Hunger and extreme poverty do not come about by accident. Current trade and tax rules keep millions of people locked in poverty. We must do more to ensure the Scottish Government’s spending choices help to change that. Scotland should ensure the money we spend supports fair trade, tax transparency and environmental sustainability. Procurement legislation should put these issues at the heart of Scottish Government spending decisions. Private companies, charities, community groups and individuals should also scrutinise what and how they buy, to protect the world’s poorest people.”
Public sector spending on goods and services across Scotland amounts to over £9 billion per year. The Government consultation on the Procurement Reform Bill closed on 2nd November 2012 and the Government’s report on the consultation was published in January. The draft Bill is expected to be laid in Parliament before the summer recess 2013.
Tom Ballantine, SCCS’ Chair will tell the Sustainable Procurement conference at Holyrood:
“The initial intention behind this Bill, to achieve more sustainable procurement, has been lost. Making sustainable and ethical procurement the norm is a key opportunity for Scotland to deliver on climate change targets and signal a clear shift towards a low carbon economy.
“We urge Nicola Sturgeon to take on board what’s said at today’s conference when overseeing the drafting of the Bill. She must ensure a Bill that prioritises environmental and social sustainability and does not ignore these urgent issues in the pursuit of short-term economic gains.”
Chris Hegarty, spokesperson for the IF campaign said:
“Hunger and extreme poverty do not come about by accident. Current trade and tax rules keep millions of people locked in poverty. We must do more to ensure the Scottish Government’s spending choices help to change that. Scotland should ensure the money we spend supports fair trade, tax transparency and environmental sustainability. Procurement legislation should put these issues at the heart of Scottish Government spending decisions. Private companies, charities, community groups and individuals should also scrutinise what and how they buy, to protect the world’s poorest people.”
