The Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO) aims to accelerate CO2 reduction in Europe by stimulating sustainable procurement through the CO2 Performance Ladder. How are they going to do that? Maud Vastbinder (project manager) and George Thurley (project officer) tell us all about the ambitions of the CO2 Performance Ladder in Europe.
Van Oord is working hard to make its often heavy equipment, such as excavators and large dredgers more sustainable. However, to accelerate the pace international cooperation and shared sustainability goals are crucial.
It has been a procurement requirement at the Delfland Water Board (Hoogheemraadschap van Delfland, HHvD) to use the CO2 Performance Ladder as an award criterion since 2018, in tenders where this is applicable and proportionate. This also applies to the RAW framework agreement for extraordinary maintenance of polder and dyke embankments, an agreement that runs until 2024. Chris Borst, contract manager at the Water Board, explains how he used the Ladder differently in his tender and shares his ideas on sustainable procurement.
Sible Schöne is critical of Glasgow’s outcomes, but does see steps in the right direction between the lines.
Smeding & Zoon recently obtained a level 3 certificate of the CO2 Performance Ladder. But the fruit and vegetable wholesaler is concerned with sustainability in many more ways. From the fight against food waste to sustainable collaborations with partners. The family business has a simple (and sober) reason for its sustainable efforts: 'It just saves euros.'
In October, the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) and Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) obtained the certificate for the CO₂ Performance Ladder on level 3. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) already preceded them and is now on level five. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) is also looking forward to level 3 certification in early 2022 and is already preparing level 4.
All Dutch ministries are getting started to use the CO2 performance ladder. It helps ministries to achieve the government-wide objective: climate-neutral business operations by 2030.
Nowy Styl is one of the largest office furniture manufacturers in Europe and has been committed to sustainability for many years. Last year the company achieved level 3 on the CO2 Performance Ladder, but plans for a certificate at level 4 or 5 are already being made. ‘Sustainability is a continuous process. Tomorrow must be better than today.’
The Central College of Experts (in Dutch: CCVD) of SKAO has published 2 new harmonisation decisions that are normative from now on. The first decision concerns the rules that apply when granting emission reductions to organisations that participate in renewable fuel programs for aviation. For example, it is described which sustainability requirements apply and which calculation rules must be applied. The second harmonisation decision states that companies that carry out CPT investigations belong in the category 'services', and not in the category 'works/supplies'. See the harmonisation acts for further explanation.
Facilicom Group recently achieved level 3 on the CO2 Performance Ladder. The certificate is an important and logical step for the facility service provider in achieving a broader ambition: CO2 neutrality by 2030. Sustainability manager Tim Platteel: “The Ladder has enabled us to better map our CO2 impact. Now we can monitor it and of course reduce it.”
Contracting authorities in the Netherlands spent no less than €85 billion on products, works and services in 2019. This purchasing power can help enormously in achieving sustainable goals. Especially given Europe has had a unique tool to drive new sustainable solutions since 2014: the Innovation Partnership. Although applicable in the Netherlands since 2016, it is not yet widely used. Why is that, what are its strengths and where are its limitations? This article investigates the method with the help of Dutch pioneers and experts.
After Procurement Guide 3.0, there is now Procurement Guide 3.1: the updated guide for the application of the CO2 Performance Ladder in tenders.
