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There are numerous approaches to make textile supply chains more transparent. Nevertheless, the origin of the textiles that municipalities procure, for example for hospitals or the police, often remains unclear. Why is this, and how can it change?
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How can sustainable procurement be achieved at the municipal level? In Hamburg, FEMNET, together with Stadtreinigung Hamburg (SRH) and other stakeholders, has further developed strategies for anchoring eco-social criteria in purchasing. A workshop shows: The will is there – and the knowledge is growing.
FEMNET has been working in the field of ‘fair public procurement’ for many years. The public sector in Germany invests about 500 billion euros annually in the purchase of goods and services (OECD 2019). As part of our membership of the CorA Corporate Responsibility Network Let's support an appeal, which calls on the Federal Government to adopt clear legal requirements for the consideration of human rights and environmental standards in the procurement of the federal, state and local governments.
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A year ago, the Federal Government published the ‘Stage Plan for Increasing the Sustainable Procurement of Textiles by Federal Administration Authorities and Institutions’. FEMNET and 10 other civil society organisations are calling for implementation.
© Stefan Klübert ⁇ FEMNET
FEMNET asked municipalities which sustainability aspects they would like to integrate more into their textile tenders. The result: Sustainability criteria for "circular economy" and "complaint mechanisms" were desired. In a new guide, FEMNET has elaborated these in detail and informatively.
© FEMNET
At the end of a one-year pilot project on eco-fair workwear, the cities of Krefeld and Dormagen, together with FEMNET, invited regional suppliers to exchange ideas. The practice-oriented program and the triad of regional specialist retailers, manufacturers and municipalities received a lot of positive feedback from all sides.
© Engagement Global / Compass Sustainability
In the future, buyers will be able to create interactive proof questionnaires for bidding companies using a new online tool without any Excel knowledge in order to check compliance with sustainability criteria. The proof questionnaire generator will be available free of charge from summer 2023 in the new ‘My Compass’ login area of the SKEW Sustainability Compass.
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Technical solutions for traceability of textile products could be an important tool to bring together verified information on sustainability in supply chains, products and companies. As part of a study, FEMNET examined how they could be applied in the demonstration of public procurement – and where there are currently still limits.
FEMNET welcomes the Federal Government's plan to strengthen environmental and climate friendliness as well as the social sustainability of public procurement. In a 12-page opinion as part of the public consultation process, we identify concrete opportunities for improvement.
© Disposal companies Konstanz
For the technical companies (TBK) and the waste disposal companies (EBK) of the city of Konstanz, sustainability has long been relevant in purchasing. In the joint re-tendering of a framework contract for rental work clothing with laundry services, FEMNET's municipal own businesses were supported in integrating sustainability criteria on several levels.
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It's time: To date, too little attention has been paid to the potential of sustainable public procurement in practice and also in the media. A new initiative wants to change that. More than 60 public figures in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have already joined, including Rosa Grabe on behalf of FEMNET.
The initiative wants to give a face to the common cause and communicate this commitment in all areas. Your vision: By 2030, sustainable procurement will become the standard in around 30,000 public procurement agencies in Germany. In their daily work, they then contribute to achieving the 1.5-degree climate target and to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Germany.
