WWF-UK: The Scottish Parliament launches 'breakthrough' Procurement Strategy
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The Scottish Parliament launches 'breakthrough' Procurement Strategy
Thursday 31 January 2008
WWF Ambassador, Simon Pepper, has commended the Scottish Parliament on the launch of their Responsible Procurement Strategy.
Reducing environmental harm and improving access to the Scottish Parliament's procurement process for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and Scottish suppliers are two of the main aims of the new strategy released today.
In addition to its environmental and SME objectives, the strategy will strengthen professional standards for purchasing staff and better take into account ethical and social issues as they apply to the procurement process.
Scottish Parliament Chief Executive Paul Grice said:
"The Scottish Parliament purchases some £15 million worth of goods and services each year. We continue to look for ways to improve access to the procurement process and ensure the goods and services we purchase do not have an adverse impact on the community or the environment.
"This strategy will build on our achievements in this area to date, through embedding responsible purchasing into all our practices and encouraging our suppliers to do the same. This work will lead to the Parliament being recognised as a leader in responsible purchasing and encourage other organisations to do more.
"The vast majority of firms in Scotland are small and medium sized enterprises, so it's important that we actively remove barriers to SMEs and Scottish suppliers participating in the procurement process, while ensuring we continue to comply with European procurement law."
Simon Pepper OBE, WWF Ambassador said:
"I congratulate the Corporate Body on this strategy. Rather than a patchy collection of worthy policies, this is a systematic approach which really aims to transform Parliament's culture. It is proof of a commitment to standards of responsible procurement which aim verifiably to meet this body's needs without jeopardising the ability of others to meet their needs in the future.
The strategy adds to the high standard of environmental management already adopted here in the parliament building - the first public body to adopt Ecological Footprint as a corporate Key Performance Indicator. This was very much welcomed by WWF, which has championed footprint as a simple but revealing measure of total impact, covering food, transport, energy and materials.
This Scottish Parliament – the institution and the building – has of course great iconic status in Scotland's story. Its action, in seeking the highest standards in its operations, should be a beacon to all in this nation, and others, that we aspire to be responsible global citizens. We should all encourage others to follow your lead."
In addition to its environmental and SME objectives, the strategy will strengthen professional standards for purchasing staff and better take into account ethical and social issues as they apply to the procurement process.
Scottish Parliament Chief Executive Paul Grice said:
"The Scottish Parliament purchases some £15 million worth of goods and services each year. We continue to look for ways to improve access to the procurement process and ensure the goods and services we purchase do not have an adverse impact on the community or the environment.
"This strategy will build on our achievements in this area to date, through embedding responsible purchasing into all our practices and encouraging our suppliers to do the same. This work will lead to the Parliament being recognised as a leader in responsible purchasing and encourage other organisations to do more.
"The vast majority of firms in Scotland are small and medium sized enterprises, so it's important that we actively remove barriers to SMEs and Scottish suppliers participating in the procurement process, while ensuring we continue to comply with European procurement law."
Simon Pepper OBE, WWF Ambassador said:
"I congratulate the Corporate Body on this strategy. Rather than a patchy collection of worthy policies, this is a systematic approach which really aims to transform Parliament's culture. It is proof of a commitment to standards of responsible procurement which aim verifiably to meet this body's needs without jeopardising the ability of others to meet their needs in the future.
The strategy adds to the high standard of environmental management already adopted here in the parliament building - the first public body to adopt Ecological Footprint as a corporate Key Performance Indicator. This was very much welcomed by WWF, which has championed footprint as a simple but revealing measure of total impact, covering food, transport, energy and materials.
This Scottish Parliament – the institution and the building – has of course great iconic status in Scotland's story. Its action, in seeking the highest standards in its operations, should be a beacon to all in this nation, and others, that we aspire to be responsible global citizens. We should all encourage others to follow your lead."
Simon Pepper, WWF Ambassador