Sustainable Purchasing Policy
Elements
That Relate to
Implementation Success
Caitlin Burwell

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What Is Sustainable
Purchasing?

S Considers environment, society AND

economy
S Compostable, refillable, reusable, recyclable,

biodegradable products
S Vehicles, chemicals, supplies, electronics &

construction products

Sustainable Purchasing Policies
(SPPs)
S Few U.S. cities have SPPs
S Cities that have SPPs report:
S Not fully or effectively implemented
S Unsuccessful in reaching goals

Questions Addressed

S What elements of cities, an SPP are

related to successful implementation?

S How can this information be used to

better inform the City of Phoenix’s SPP?

Sustainable Purchasing
Research Initiative
S Understand barriers and

facilitators of effective
purchasing and procurement
within local governments
S Responses from 616 directors

of finance, public works,
engineering, and
environmental departments

Question 1

Question 2

Methods

Very Successful = 11
Very Unsuccessful = 8
S Policy analysis
S List of successful elements
S Follow up

Six Policy Elements for Success
S Mandatory Requirement
S Accountability
S Multilevel Governance
S Vendor Requirements
S Advocacy
S Continual Improvement

Mandatory Requirement
Formal policy
Enforcement for noncompliance

Accountability

Tracking and reporting
Clear employee roles and responsibilities

Multilevel Governance

Collaborative network
Resource sharing

Vendor Requirements

Product and service contracts - clear and
comprehensive vendor expectations

Advocacy
Person, department, formal team, group or
committee
Central point of contact

Continual Improvement

Routine reviews and changes to policy
Living document

purchasing policy
S Track, measure and report on SPP

implementation
S Enhance collaborative

information sharing networks
S Utilize vendor requirements in

contracts
S Assign an SPP advocate
S Create a living document

General
Recommendations

S Create a mandatory sustainable

City of Phoenix
S Initiating numerous projects to address

sustainability
S City directors reported unsuccessful policy

implementation in the Sustainable Purchasing
Research Initiative survey

S Revision of sustainable product

evaluation form

S Green purchasing training
S Information gathering
S Scope of Work (SOW) revisions

Actions Taken

S Consulting services

Barriers

S Lack of buy in

S Lack of training

S Budget constraints

S Administrative

S Lack of awareness
S Resistance to change

Record (A.R.)
S Leadership

Future Directions
S City of Phoenix 2017 SPP – All 6 elements
S Success?
S What about the rest?

Thank You!
Questions?

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