Net Zero is by no means a new subject that everyone is familiar with the various targets that have been set for achieving this – from 2050 for the UK and 2045 in Scotland. The public sector is a massive consumer of energy, water, and materials – and therefore should also be able to make a substantial contribution to reducing carbon emissions.
Public procurement is key to this – both in terms of buying more sustainable products and services – but also incentivising the supply chain to adopt environmentally friendly practices. Year on year, we’ve seen a 27% increase in contract awards that mention keywords associated with sustainability and Net Zero. The total value of such contracts was more than £535 billion in 2023 and is already at £400 billion for 2024 to date. Local government is leading the way with the most contract notices that refer to sustainability, but there’s growth across all areas – including healthcare and central government.
‘Net Zero: How can suppliers help the public sector achieve their goals? is a free webinar, delivered in association with Procurex National and Tracker Intelligence that features our special guest speaker Professor Jo Meehan, Professor of Responsible Procurement and the Director of the Centre for Sustainable Business at the University of Liverpool Management School.
Jo’s research centres on modern slavery in supply chains, social value in public procurement, and power. It explored commercial practices that allow social inequalities and environmental harm to persist, and crucially, what might be done to enable systemic change. Her work has won numerous international awards, and she is a regular public speaker committed to challenging business responsibilities and delivering impactful research.
