National Academy of Sciences Report Released: Sustainability Considerations for Procurement Tools and Capabilities: Summary of a Workshop

This week, the National Academies Press (NAP) released a report produced by the Committee on Fostering Sustainability Considerations into Public and Private Sector Procurement Tools and Capabilities; Science and Technology for Sustainability Program; Policy and Global Affairs; Computer Science and Telecommunications Board; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; and the National Research Council titled, Sustainability Considerations for Procurement Tools and Capabilities: Summary of a Workshop (2012). The 72 page report is available free for download (with registration). According to the description, this document was generated as a result of a

two-day workshop that explored ways to better incorporate sustainability considerations into procurement tools and capabilities across the public and private sectors. The workshop was designed to help participants assess the current landscape of green purchasing tools, identify emerging needs for enhanced or new tools and opportunities to develop them, identify potential barriers to progress, and explore potential solutions. The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to discuss challenges related to sustainable purchasing and to developing new procurement tools. Sustainability Considerations for Procurement Tools and Capabilities reviews the presenters' recommendations and tools currently used in sustainable procurement, such as databases for ecolabels and standards, codes, or regulations and other nontechnological tools such as policies, frameworks, rating systems, and product indexes.