September is Global Goals Month, a symbolic time when the world comes together for the UN General Assembly, reviewing progress toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At ProcureGoals, it is an opportunity to highlight how to link public procurement to the 17 SDGs. Our reflections draw directly on the Nordic Council of Ministers’ 2021 report, 'Methodology for Mapping Sustainable Public Procurement and the Sustainable Development Goals' (Nord 2021:011), one of the most comprehensive studies quantifying procurement’s contribution to Agenda 2030.
A FRAMEWORK FOR LINKING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT TO THE SDGs
The Nordic study, grounded in the ISO 20400:2017 Sustainable Procurement Standard, designed a seven-step methodology to demonstrate that Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) contributes directly or indirectly to 82 percent of all SDG targets (139 of 169) and to 100 percent of the 17 Goals. At the heart of that framework are seven thematic pillars that connect procurement practice to sustainable-development outcomes:
1. Organizational Governance – communicating sustainability priorities, training staff, and making procurement decisions based on life-cycle and total-cost principles.
2. Human Rights – identifying and mitigating human-rights risks across operations and supply chains.
3. Labour Practices – ensuring health, safety, and decent work while supporting capacity development.
4. Environment – preventing pollution, conserving resources, and addressing climate impacts throughout the procurement cycle.
5. Anti-Corruption & Fair Competition – promoting integrity, transparency, and equitable market access for under-represented suppliers.
6. Consumer Issues – safeguarding quality and safety, supporting take-back programs, and fostering circular-economy models.
7. Community Development – creating local jobs, empowering women and youth, and stimulating social innovation.
Each of these pillars translates into 21 Sustainable Procurement Demands and 48 Criteria that can be traced to specific SDG targets through a matrix analysis — effectively turning ISO 20400 into a measurable impact-mapping tool.
How Each SDG Connects to Public Procurement
The report’s mapping exercise demonstrates clear pathways for all 17 Goals, linking procurement actions to specific sustainable outcomes.
Goal 1 – No Poverty: Local sourcing and SME participation create livelihoods and inclusive growth.
Goal 2 – Zero Hunger: Sustainable food procurement supports resilient agricultural systems and nutrition programs.
Goal 3 – Good Health & Well-being: Requiring suppliers to reduce hazardous chemicals directly advances target 3.9 on pollution-related illness.
Goal 4 – Quality Education: Procurement of school infrastructure and ICT resources strengthens equitable learning.
Goal 5 – Gender Equality: Supplier-diversity clauses and social criteria promote women-owned businesses and equitable employment.
Goal 6 – Clean Water & Sanitation: Contracting for wastewater treatment and clean-water systems contributes to universal access.
Goal 7 – Affordable & Clean Energy: Public demand for renewables and efficient equipment accelerates the energy transition.
Goal 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth: SPP promotes safe labour practices, fair wages, and local innovation.
Goal 9 – Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure: Green and innovation-oriented procurement stimulates sustainable industrialization.
Goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities: Inclusive procurement policies bridge socio-economic gaps.
Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities: SPP had the highest influence by promoting energy-efficient buildings, green mobility, and circular urban design.
Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production: Life-cycle costing and circular procurement reshape demand and waste patterns.
Goal 13 – Climate Action: Low-carbon purchasing and resilience criteria embed mitigation and adaptation.
Goal 14 – Life Below Water: Restrictions on plastic and nutrient pollution directly address target 14.1.
Goal 15 – Life on Land: Sustainable forestry, biodiversity protection, and ecosystem restoration clauses strengthen terrestrial sustainability.
Goal 16 – Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions: Transparent procurement systems reduce corruption and build institutional trust.
Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Collaborative procurement and shared learning platforms foster cross-sector partnerships.Key Insights from the Nordic Study
The data confirm that SPP is a systemic accelerator of sustainable development:
- 83 targets are directly influenced by SPP; 128 targets are influenced indirectly.
- The five most impacted Goals are:
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities (108 linkages)
• SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth (69 linkages)
• SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities (51 linkages)
• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production (53 linkages)
• SDG 2 – Zero Hunger (52 linkages)
- The most influential procurement actions were:
1. Establishing a comprehensive SPP policy framework.
2. Implementing structured SPP programmes through targeted interventions.
3. Making procurement decisions based on life-cycle analysis and total-cost-of-ownership data.
4. Requiring suppliers to demonstrate environmental and social performance improvements.Why This Matters
According to the Nordic Council, the next frontier is to quantify the real-world outcomes of these linkages : tonnes of CO₂ avoided, jobs created, GDP growth, or health improvements, and to extrapolate the added value if SPP principles were applied across the entire €6.5 trillion European public-procurement market. Globally, governments spend an estimated US $13 trillion each year. Steering even a small percentage of that toward sustainable outcomes can transform markets, reduce inequalities, and drive climate action. In other words, public procurement is not just an administrative tool, it is one of the world’s most powerful development instruments.
Conclusion
By institutionalizing sustainability through frameworks such as ISO 20400 and adopting evidence-based procurement policies, public entities can measurably advance all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Whether the focus is on cleaner production, ethical labour, gender equality, local innovation, or fair competition, sustainable procurement is where policy meets impact — and where the world’s goals become reality.
Reference
Nordic Council of Ministers (2021). Methodology for Mapping Sustainable Public Procurement and the Sustainable Development Goals (Nord 2021:011). Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers. ISBN 978-92-893-6931-2. https://doi.org/10.6027/nord2021-011