Integrating sustainable development into public sector procurement: the case of local government buying in the United Kingdom

Against the headway sustainable development has made in industry, this paper examines what progress the practice has made in other areas of economic activity, particularly in government buying. Case study evidence of local government procurement in the United Kingdom reveals a range of activities that address both the environmental and social sides of sustainability. In terms of environmental initiatives, local government is replacing some hazardous materials in the goods and services it buys as well as disseminating information on environmental issues in procurement. On the social side, local authorities are increasingly contracting with social enterprises and voluntary sector organisations; an emphasis on working with local companies is also visible. However, a number of gaps in addressing sustainability through local government procurement remain too. Not least, a lack of a strategic direction is noticeable in many authorities, as is a lack of an international exchange of ideas and experiences.