September 2026 Case Study: Exploring a Framework for SDG-based Public Procurement

For September 2026, the United Nations has designated all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the Goals of the Month, highlighting the interconnected challenges that require collective action to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.

Achieving these goals requires collaboration among governments, businesses, and other stakeholders. Public procurement offers a practical way to translate sustainability commitments into action. Through their purchasing decisions, governments can influence which goods and services enter the market, which suppliers receive public contracts, and what environmental, social, and economic standards businesses are expected to meet.

Drawing on the SDG-Based Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) framework, developed by Sustainability Advantage, this case study explores a proposed framework for connecting public procurement with private-sector contributions to all 17 SDGs.

By examining this framework, we highlight how governments can leverage their purchasing power to encourage responsible business practices, strengthen public-private collaboration, and support progress toward the global goals.

1. The Opportunity: Using Public Procurement as a Driver of Sustainable Development

Traditional procurement decisions often emphasize price, quality, delivery, and compliance with technical specifications. Sustainable public procurement broadens this approach by considering the environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with purchased goods and services.

For example, a government purchasing office furniture could consider product durability, recycled materials, energy use during production, labor conditions, and end-of-life disposal alongside cost and quality.

Similarly, a public institution contracting for cleaning services could incorporate appropriate requirements relating to worker safety, labor standards, and the responsible use of cleaning products.

These decisions illustrate how procurement can contribute to multiple SDGs through the ordinary process of purchasing goods and services.

2. The Proposed Framework: Connecting Procurement to All 17 SDGs

The Sustainability Advantage document proposes a model in which governments use public procurement to encourage suppliers to assess and communicate their contributions to the SDGs.

The framework includes three main mechanisms.

A. Integrating SDG Considerations into Public Procurement

Governments can incorporate relevant sustainability criteria into procurement planning, tender specifications, supplier evaluation, and contract management.

Depending on the goods or services being purchased, these criteria may address environmental performance, labor practices, ethical business conduct, resource efficiency, or opportunities for inclusive economic participation.

For procurement professionals, the objective is to identify sustainability requirements that are relevant to the purchase, measurable, proportionate, and consistent with applicable procurement rules.

B. Encouraging Supplier Self-Assessment

The document proposes accessible, online self-assessment tools that would allow companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to assess their contributions to the SDGs.

Such tools could help suppliers identify their sustainability strengths, recognize areas for improvement, and communicate relevant information to prospective public-sector buyers.

For example, a supplier might assess its energy consumption, waste-management practices, employee working conditions, or efforts to provide inclusive employment opportunities.

Self-assessment should be treated as a starting point for engagement and improvement, rather than automatic proof of performance. Where sustainability claims affect procurement decisions, buyers may need supporting documentation, verification, or other appropriate evidence.

C. Improving Access to Public Procurement Opportunities

The document also proposes a supplier registry and notification system that would alert qualified suppliers when relevant government tenders become available.

A well-designed system could help businesses identify opportunities, improve access to procurement information, and reduce some of the administrative barriers associated with finding and pursuing public contracts.

Online registration, accessible tender information, and electronic bid submission can support broader supplier participation when implemented alongside transparent qualification requirements and fair competition.

3. How Procurement Can Contribute to the 17 SDGs

Sustainable procurement does not mean that every contract must address all 17 goals. Instead, procurement professionals should identify the SDGs most relevant to the goods or services being purchased and the impacts associated with their supply chains.

Examples include:

SDG 1: No Poverty: Supporting responsible employment and economic opportunities through relevant purchasing decisions.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being: Procuring safe products and services that support health and well-being.
SDG 5: Gender Equality: Promoting non-discrimination and, where appropriate, gender-responsive procurement.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: Addressing labor standards, worker safety, and decent working conditions.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: Improving fair access to procurement opportunities and encouraging inclusive supplier participation.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Considering product durability, resource efficiency, waste reduction, and life-cycle impacts.
SDG 13: Climate Action: Taking relevant greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts into account when evaluating procurement options.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Promoting transparent tendering, ethical conduct, accountability, and anti-corruption measures.

These are illustrative connections. The most appropriate priorities will depend on the procurement category, local context, supplier market, and the organization's sustainability objectives.

4. Putting the Framework into Practice

For a government or public institution seeking to strengthen sustainable procurement, implementation can begin with a manageable set of actions.

Step 1: Identify priority procurement categories. Review spending and supply chain risks to determine where purchasing decisions could have the greatest environmental, social, or economic impact.

Step 2: Define relevant sustainability criteria. Establish clear requirements that relate to the contract and can be evaluated fairly and consistently.

Step 3: Engage suppliers. Communicate expectations, provide accessible guidance, and give suppliers opportunities to understand and improve their sustainability practices.

Step 4: Evaluate evidence. Use appropriate documentation, supplier declarations, risk-based verification, and contract monitoring to assess compliance with sustainability requirements.

Step 5: Measure and improve. Track results, identify implementation challenges, and refine procurement practices over time.

Implementation should remain consistent with applicable laws, competition requirements, value-for-money principles, and the need to avoid unnecessary barriers for smaller suppliers.

5. Measuring Progress

To understand whether sustainable procurement is producing meaningful results, organizations need indicators that go beyond the number of sustainability policies adopted.

Potential indicators include:

The percentage of relevant tenders that incorporate defined sustainability criteria.
The percentage of suppliers meeting applicable sustainability requirements.
The number of suppliers participating in sustainability training or improvement initiatives.
The participation and contract-award rates of eligible SMEs and other targeted supplier groups.
Documented improvements in relevant environmental or labor performance.
The proportion of contracts subject to sustainability-related monitoring and reporting.

Organizations should establish baselines, define how each indicator will be measured, and distinguish activities completed from outcomes actually achieved.

The ProcureGoals Takeaway

Sustainable public procurement can help translate the ambition of the 17 SDGs into practical purchasing decisions.

By incorporating relevant sustainability criteria, encouraging responsible supplier practices, improving access to procurement opportunities, and monitoring performance, governments can use their purchasing power to support progress across environmental, social, and economic priorities.

The central lesson is that sustainability should not be treated as an afterthought in procurement. It should be considered throughout the purchasing process, from identifying needs and selecting suppliers to managing contracts and evaluating results.

Every procurement decision is an opportunity to consider not only what is being purchased, but also the wider impact that purchase may have on people, the planet, and sustainable development.

Sources

Sustainability Advantage, Use SDG-Based Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) to Partner with the Private Sector on the SDGs. Read the source document.
United Nations Global Marketplace, Sustainable Procurement. Read the UN guidance.
United Nations Global Compact, Sustainable Procurement Implementation Framework. Explore the framework.

September 2026 Case Study: Exploring a Framework for SDG-based Public Procurement

For September 2026, the United Nations has designated all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the Goals of the Month, highlighting the interconnected challenges that require collective action to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.

Drawing on the SDG-Based Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) framework, developed by Sustainability Advantage, this case study explores a proposed framework for connecting public procurement with private-sector contributions to all 17 SDGs.

By examining this framework, we highlight how governments can leverage their purchasing power to encourage responsible business practices, strengthen public-private collaboration, and support progress toward the global goals.

1. The Opportunity: Using Public Procurement as a Driver of Sustainable Development

Traditional procurement decisions often emphasize price, quality, delivery, and compliance with technical specifications. Sustainable public procurement broadens this approach by considering the environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with purchased goods and services.

For example, a government purchasing office furniture could consider product durability, recycled materials, energy use during production, labor conditions, and end-of-life disposal alongside cost and quality.

Similarly, a public institution contracting for cleaning services could incorporate appropriate requirements relating to worker safety, labor standards, and the responsible use of cleaning products.

These decisions illustrate how procurement can contribute to multiple SDGs through the ordinary process of purchasing goods and services.

2. The Proposed Framework: Connecting Procurement to All 17 SDGs

The Sustainability Advantage document proposes a model in which governments use public procurement to encourage suppliers to assess and communicate their contributions to the SDGs.

The framework includes three main mechanisms.

A. Integrating SDG Considerations into Public Procurement

Governments can incorporate relevant sustainability criteria into procurement planning, tender specifications, supplier evaluation, and contract management.

Depending on the goods or services being purchased, these criteria may address environmental performance, labor practices, ethical business conduct, resource efficiency, or opportunities for inclusive economic participation.

For procurement professionals, the objective is to identify sustainability requirements that are relevant to the purchase, measurable, proportionate, and consistent with applicable procurement rules.

B. Encouraging Supplier Self-Assessment

The document proposes accessible, online self-assessment tools that would allow companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to assess their contributions to the SDGs.

Such tools could help suppliers identify their sustainability strengths, recognize areas for improvement, and communicate relevant information to prospective public-sector buyers.

For example, a supplier might assess its energy consumption, waste-management practices, employee working conditions, or efforts to provide inclusive employment opportunities.

Self-assessment should be treated as a starting point for engagement and improvement, rather than automatic proof of performance. Where sustainability claims affect procurement decisions, buyers may need supporting documentation, verification, or other appropriate evidence.

C. Improving Access to Public Procurement Opportunities

The document also proposes a supplier registry and notification system that would alert qualified suppliers when relevant government tenders become available.

A well-designed system could help businesses identify opportunities, improve access to procurement information, and reduce some of the administrative barriers associated with finding and pursuing public contracts.

Online registration, accessible tender information, and electronic bid submission can support broader supplier participation when implemented alongside transparent qualification requirements and fair competition.

3. How Procurement Can Contribute to the 17 SDGs

Sustainable procurement does not mean that every contract must address all 17 goals. Instead, procurement professionals should identify the SDGs most relevant to the goods or services being purchased and the impacts associated with their supply chains.

Examples include:

SDG 1: No Poverty: Supporting responsible employment and economic opportunities through relevant purchasing decisions.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being: Procuring safe products and services that support health and well-being.

SDG 5: Gender Equality: Promoting non-discrimination and, where appropriate, gender-responsive procurement.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: Addressing labor standards, worker safety, and decent working conditions.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: Improving fair access to procurement opportunities and encouraging inclusive supplier participation.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Considering product durability, resource efficiency, waste reduction, and life-cycle impacts.

SDG 13: Climate Action: Taking relevant greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts into account when evaluating procurement options.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Promoting transparent tendering, ethical conduct, accountability, and anti-corruption measures.

These are illustrative connections. The most appropriate priorities will depend on the procurement category, local context, supplier market, and the organization's sustainability objectives.

4. Putting the Framework into Practice

For a government or public institution seeking to strengthen sustainable procurement, implementation can begin with a manageable set of actions.

Step 1: Identify priority procurement categories. Review spending and supply chain risks to determine where purchasing decisions could have the greatest environmental, social, or economic impact.

Step 2: Define relevant sustainability criteria. Establish clear requirements that relate to the contract and can be evaluated fairly and consistently.

Step 3: Engage suppliers. Communicate expectations, provide accessible guidance, and give suppliers opportunities to understand and improve their sustainability practices.

Step 4: Evaluate evidence. Use appropriate documentation, supplier declarations, risk-based verification, and contract monitoring to assess compliance with sustainability requirements.

Step 5: Measure and improve. Track results, identify implementation challenges, and refine procurement practices over time.

Implementation should remain consistent with applicable laws, competition requirements, value-for-money principles, and the need to avoid unnecessary barriers for smaller suppliers.

5. Measuring Progress

To understand whether sustainable procurement is producing meaningful results, organizations need indicators that go beyond the number of sustainability policies adopted.

Potential indicators include:

The percentage of relevant tenders that incorporate defined sustainability criteria.

The percentage of suppliers meeting applicable sustainability requirements.

The number of suppliers participating in sustainability training or improvement initiatives.

The participation and contract-award rates of eligible SMEs and other targeted supplier groups.

Documented improvements in relevant environmental or labor performance.

The proportion of contracts subject to sustainability-related monitoring and reporting.

Organizations should establish baselines, define how each indicator will be measured, and distinguish activities completed from outcomes actually achieved.

The ProcureGoals Takeaway

Sustainable public procurement can help translate the ambition of the 17 SDGs into practical purchasing decisions.

By incorporating relevant sustainability criteria, encouraging responsible supplier practices, improving access to procurement opportunities, and monitoring performance, governments can use their purchasing power to support progress across environmental, social, and economic priorities.

The central lesson is that sustainability should not be treated as an afterthought in procurement. It should be considered throughout the purchasing process, from identifying needs and selecting suppliers to managing contracts and evaluating results.

Every procurement decision is an opportunity to consider not only what is being purchased, but also the wider impact that purchase may have on people, the planet, and sustainable development.

Sources

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