Procurement
Current estimates by Welsh Government show that 60% - 81% of Public Sector organisations’ operating budgets are spent with Suppliers and Contractors. Due to this, the Goods, Services and Works provided by our Suppliers and Contractors emits a significant percentage of the carbon we generate.
This makes decarbonisation within the Council’s commissioning, procurement and contract management processes a key player in influencing and reducing our emissions.
- The Council has a strong methodology established through our own TOMs (Themes, Outcomes & Measures) framework which uses social, economic and environmental factors within procurement operations.
- Joint procurement service with Denbighshire County Council which allows collaboration to maximise cost and efficiency savings.
- Review of Joint Social Value Procurement Strategy to provide consistency and ensure social, economic and environmental factors are not compromised.
- Carbon and biodiversity impacts have been included as a consideration in capital spend business case template.
- The Council has a strong methodology established through our own TOMs (Themes, Outcomes & Measures) framework which uses social, economic and environmental factors within procurement operations. This has recently been updated with additional carbon outcomes included. Key tenders have been identified to target carbon outcomes.
- Regional public sector collaboration developed for commission of ‘Production of Climate change e-learn module’ with three other Councils and a local College group.
- Decarbonisation network developed for Deeside industrial area to develop aims and objectives and share good practice. Funding secured through Shared Prosperity Fund to provide grants for commercial carbon reduction feasibility studies.
- Review of procurement strategy in line with the Council’s carbon ambitions to ensure specific measures around carbon and biodiversity are embedded in procurement process.
Future actions:
We will:
- Ensure carbon reduction is appropriately considered throughout Council procurement policy, strategy, business cases, commissioning templates, tender evaluations, etc.
- Increase the utilisation of the TOMs (Themes, Outcomes and Measures) framework in procurement across the Council’s operations by working with employees who manage procurement activities.
- Work collaboratively with Denbighshire County Council to establish the recognised carbon reduction toolkit within the procurement process.
- Facilitate provision of training for commissioning officers and suppliers to grow knowledge and ownership of responsible procurement.
- Petition the change needed to facilitate decarbonisation of supply chain within investment in green skills.
Constraints and Interdependencies
Within the Procurement theme there are constraints and interdependencies, some of which are beyond the Council’s control. These factors will affect the Council’s ability to meet Net Zero Carbon by 2030.
- Availability of supply chain to deliver with reduced carbon impacts
- Lack of mature supply chain in green skill areas
- Lack of knowledge and understanding of carbon impacts within supply chain
- Lack of national policy and framework to support decarbonisation within private sector
- Ability to not exclude SME or local suppliers