Which conception of sustainability for sustainable public procurement ?

Ronan Le Velly ()
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Ronan Le Velly: UMR Innovation - Innovation et Développement dans l'Agriculture et l'Agro-alimentaire - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier, UMR Innovation - Innovation et Développement dans l'Agriculture et l'Agro-alimentaire - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier

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Abstract: Sustainable consumption does not only concern individual consumers. In many countries, notably in France, "sustainable procurement" of local and central governments is also recognized as an important political task. But, to which development model does sustainable public procurement refer? To explore the conception of sustainability that is associated to sustainable public procurement, the author has observed the content of some ninety "normative documents" drafted by various French entities (local governments, NGOs, government agencies, etc.) and international organizations (European Commission, OECD, etc.). These "normative documents" consist of regulations, guides, manuals, reports on experiences, and so on, and have all in common to present the good practices that should be followed in the name of sustainable public procurement.The author shows that these documents envision a more or less wide range of good practices that is related to different conceptions of sustainability. Three types of justification for sustainable procurement are distinguished: "doubly winning purchasing", "overall winning purchasing", and "morally responsible purchasing". What is at stake is very concrete. For example, if the first argument predominates, notably because of budgetary tensions, sustainable procurement concentrates on energy efficiency and forsakes fair trade goods or the products of organic agriculture. Then, the identification of these three justifications also strives to avoid having current thinking about sustainable public procurement refer only to the first (or first two) of them.

Date: 2011-09-07
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Published in 10. ESA Conference "Social relations in turbulent times", European Sociological Association (ESA). Paris, FRA., Sep 2011, Genève, Switzerland

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