A collaboration between Swedish Regions
Since 2010, Swedish Regions have collaborated nationally on sustainable procurement. The regions have a joint code of conduct for suppliers, covering human rights, workers’ rights, the environment, and business ethics, as well as contract clauses on due diligence for sustainable supply chains. ​The work on sustainable procurement aims to identify and minimize risks to people and the environment throughout the entire life cycle of goods or services.
WHAT?
Procurement in Swedish Regions ensures the availability of essential goods and services for societal functions such as healthcare and public transportation. The goal is to deliver the best possible value for citizens, both economically and from a sustainability perspective. Therefore, the regions' procurement departments work to ensure that goods and services are produced under sustainable and responsible conditions.
Many procured goods are manufactured in countries where there are significant risks to human rights, workers’ rights, the environment, and business ethics. Procurement is a powerful tool for achieving public policy objectives, including the 17 Global Goals of the 2030 Agenda. Swedish public procurement amounts to over 800 billion kronor annually, and through the cooperation among the regions, the transition to a more sustainable society can be accelerated.
WHY?
HOW?
Every year, we identify risk products and monitor nationally prioritised suppliers. The monitoring is based on our joint code of conduct for suppliers and contract clauses on due diligence for sustainable supply chains. We conduct monitoring through dialogues, self-assessments, and audits. The results are shared among the 21 regions within the national collaboration. We also strengthen the regional work by developing requirements and enhancing employees’ competence.