Lancashire County Council’s
Environmental Procurement Policy
Lancashire County Council is a large organisation, and as such can have a major impact on the environment and sustainable development in the way that it buys and uses goods and services. As a first step towards reducing the environmental damage caused by its purchasing practices, and towards achieving environmental sustainability, Lancashire County Council adopted an Environmental Procurement Policy in 2002. This was later updated in 2004.
The Policy fulfils an objective within the County Council’s Corporate Plan: ‘To do what we can as an organisation to enhance Lancashire’s environment now and for future generations’.
A copy of the Environmental Procurement Policy must be sent out with all Tenders to inform suppliers/partners of the County Council’s Environmental Policy.
Benefits to the County Council
By adopting an Environmental Procurement Policy, Lancashire County Council will gain a number of benefits including:
- Reducing the environmental impact of the County Council by decreasing overall consumption and waste products.
- Many green products can have long lives and are re-useable, thereby offering good cost savings to the County Council (compared to many standard items, which are often disposable and have short lives).
- Supporting and creating markets and industries that allow the development of alternative products and services in an environmentally responsible manner.
To find out more about procurement at Lancashire County Council visit the Corporate Procurement website.
Fair Trade
The Fair Trade standard or equivalent is also high on the County Council’s purchasing agenda, as LCC seeks to buy more products that are locally produced or have been accredited by schemes such as Fairtrade.
Fair Trade is about ensuring that producers in developing countries are not exploited. It involves paying poor producers a fair price for their products, offering better trading conditions, and securing the rights of marginalized producers.
This will improve the livelihood and well being of producers in developing countries, with the aim to help them work their way out of poverty.
For more information visit the Fairtrade Foundation’s website: www.fairtrade.org.uk