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Assessing the Degree of Sustainability Integration in Canadian Public Sector Procurement

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  • Monica Da Ponte

    (Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada)

  • Megan Foley

    (EcoVadis, Toronto, ON M5V 2C5, Canada)

  • Charles H. Cho

    (Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the current state of sustainability integration into Canadian government procurement and make recommendations on how to deepen current integration in order to accelerate the advancement of existing sustainability goals. We reviewed 50 publicly available Requests for Proposals (RFPs) issued between 2016 and 2019 and evaluated the significance of sustainability integration and the expanse of considerations using two measurement schemes. Our analysis suggests that sustainability integration into RFPs is currently superficial with limited integration into the evaluation process. We also found that the integration of sustainability was narrow with significant gaps in the breadth of environmental and social impact areas that were considered. As such, we provide insights and recommendations that will enable governments to accelerate the advancement of sustainability through the use of procurement.

Suggested Citation

  • Monica Da Ponte & Megan Foley & Charles H. Cho, 2020. "Assessing the Degree of Sustainability Integration in Canadian Public Sector Procurement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:14:p:5550-:d:382450
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cao, Fuguo & Li, Runyu & Guo, Shaobo, 2024. "Rhetoric and reality of public-private partnerships in China: A sustainable public procurement perspective," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    2. André Luiz Trajano Santos & Augusto Cunha Reis, 2025. "Public procurement from the triple bottom line lens: the identification of sustainability criteria from the international literature review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(5), pages 9805-9840, May.
    3. Takuro Miyamoto & Naonari Yajima & Takahiro Tsukahara & Toshi H. Arimura, 2020. "Advancement of Green Public Purchasing by Category: Do Municipality Green Purchasing Policies Have Any Role in Japan?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-24, October.
    4. Viera Papcunová & Roman Vavrek & Marek Dvořák, 2021. "Role of Public Entities in Suitable Provision of Public Services: Case Study from Slovakia," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, November.

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