RoS Sustainable Procurement Policy

Sustainable Procurement  “A process whereby organisations meet their needs for goods, services, works and utilities in a way that achieves value for money on a whole life basis and generates benefits not only to the organisation, but also to society, the economy and the environment”.

RoS is committed to supporting the Scottish Government’s purpose of ‘increasing sustainable economic growth’. Procurement is an essential element in delivering the Scottish Government’s priorities and plays a key role in attaining the social, economic and environmental benefits that sustainable economic growth delivers.

We are conscious that our activities affect the environment in which we exist and we are acting to minimise negative environmental and social impacts associated with the products and services we purchase. We acknowledge our responsibilities in delivering this policy and recognise the importance of engaging our suppliers and (internal) customers in its implementation.

In addition to supporting RoS’ Environmental Management System, and complying with RoS’ broader Environmental Policy, we will embrace the following principles:

  • organisational commitment to making more sustainable choices when undertaking procurement. This means identifying more sustainable ways of meeting requirements and designing sustainable procurement specifications accordingly. The approach will address the social, economic and environmental implications of product and service choices. When relevant it will embrace whole-life costing and address how aspects such as design, manufacturing materials, operating costs, energy consumption, waste and recycling options support a more sustainable approach; and
  • working in partnership with our suppliers and contractors to minimise the environmental and social impacts of our supply chain.

Procurement Policy Statement

We will incorporate sustainability into our everyday procurement activity to benefit society, the economy and the environment.

We will purchase goods and services in a way that minimises the impact on the environment where it is practical and economically viable. In line with the Scottish Government’s purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth, EU and UK ‘green’ procurement legislation, we will initiate savings in materials, energy, reduce waste, and promote a sustainable approach to the way we conduct our business.

Working with colleagues and suppliers we will ensure whole-life costs are considered and that, where practical and economically viable, purchases have been manufactured and are delivered, used and disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.

Adoption of the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Procurement Action Plan and fulfilling its 10 Steps to Sustainable Procurement will contribute to successful progress against our Best Value obligations, the Procurement Capability Assessment regime and the Best Practice Indicators. Improved sustainability in procurement activity will also make a significant contribution to our Climate Change targets.

This policy will be supported by a Sustainable Procurement Strategy and Delivery Plan covering the 10 Steps to Sustainable Procurement, together with specific objectives and targets. This policy, strategy, and delivery plan will be reviewed annually as part of our corporate planning cycle. This will align it to our business objectives and ensure it is appropriate to the nature and scale of our operations.

This policy was agreed by RoS Management Board on 30 August 2005. It was subsequently reviewed and updated in July 2006 and January 2010.