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MHC highlights barriers to green procurement

Three out of ten organisations (30%) have not yet implemented green procurement practices and one in five (20%) do not feel prepared to do so, a new survey by law firm Mason Hayes & Curran (MHC) has found.

The survey was carried out among 200 professionals, mainly from the public sector, and comes as Ireland prepares for the Government’s Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan.

Green Public Procurement (GPP) is a process where public authorities seek to source goods, services, or works with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle.

Training and education

The MHC survey shows that the main challenge is limited supplier options, cited by four in ten respondents (40%). This is closely followed by budget constraints (31%) and resistance to change (29%).

Almost 60% also highlighted training and education as a critical support needed to successfully implement GPP.

Dorit McCann (head of public procurement at MHC) described GPP as “a vital policy lever” in meeting environmental-policy objectives.

“The procurement landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, but the proactive measures already taken by many contracting authorities demonstrate a robust foundation upon which the new strategy can build,” she stated.

‘Cultural shifts’

McCann added that the firm was advising clients to take practical steps to incorporate “realistic and achievable” green criteria for tenders.

“This includes engaging in market research, ensuring procurement personnel receive regular training on green procurement, and implementing robust verification mechanisms to ensure that suppliers meet the stated green criteria," she said.

“Organisations need both financial support and cultural shifts within their teams to fully embrace green procurement,” McCann stated.