Sustainable Procurement

What is Sustainable Procurement?
Sustainable procurement uses the buying power of Council or other large organisations to generate social, cultural or environmental impact. The City uses a wide range of goods and services to run our Council and purchasing items (from paper to paint) that are environmentally friendly or sourced from indigenous businesses or delivered by a social enterprise means that each dollar spent purchasing a product also creates a positive impact in the community.

Sustainable procurement considers where things are sourced from, the impact they have on the environment during their lifetime, and what happens to them when we no longer need them.

The following videos provide some more information about what sustainable procurement is and how it works.

Sustainable Procurement Education - Training

Sustainable Procurement Education - Awareness

Sustainable Procurement at The City of Parramatta

Sustainability is an issue we want to lead on.

Council’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy includes the following sustainable procurement goal:
Sustainability criteria are considered in all of council’s procurement activities

What we’re already doing:

• Developed a Sustainable Procurement Policy
• Including sustainability considerations in some major tenders
• Requiring sustainable measures in contracts, including cleaning, painting, electrical and plumbing
• We participate in the Sustainable Choice program, and monitor our progress through it
• Over the next 1 - 4 years council will:
  • Ensure sustainability considerations in all procurement decisions, including mandatory weightings in tenders
  • Improve procurement guidelines, processes and tools to support staff to actively engage in sustainable procurement
  • For further information on sustainable procurement and details on how businesses can find sustainable businesses to procure from you can visit:
    • Social Traders for a list of social enterprises you can purchase from;
    • Buyability for a list of disability enterprises you can purchase from;
    • Supply Nation for a list of indigenous businesses that you can purchase from. 

If you are interested in local social enterprises that you can purchase from, you can find a list here 

Good Gift Guide

Individuals can also buy sustainably, and to help you find some of these businesses Council has developed a Good Gift Guide. The Guide is full of beautiful, interesting and thoughtful gift ideas that are ethical and sustainable. From undies to food tours, or recycled plastic children's toys to jewellery made from reclaimed bombs, Parramatta's own Good Gift Guide is the place to find the perfect present for anyone.