The SAPIENS Network held its Final Conference on Sustainable Public Procurement

About the SAPIENS Network

The SAPIENS Network is the only training program specifically designed for the inherently interdisciplinary nature of Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP). The Sustainability and Procurement in International, European, and National Systems (SAPIENS) Network aims to foster interdisciplinary research into the evolving use of public procurement to address the social and environmental challenges of the 21st century. The aim is to significantly increase the European knowledge base and research capacity in SPP's law, economics, and business sciences, thereby helping Europe address these pressing challenges.

The Impact

By incorporating SPP implementation into its analysis, the SAPIENS Network aims to impact SPP uptake in Europe and beyond significantly. This initiative also promotes SPP as a burgeoning sub-discipline of sustainability studies through its interdisciplinary approach and the inclusion of new SPP objectives, instruments, and techniques. The network addresses a critical need by training a cohort of SPP specialists capable of addressing the three dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): social, economic, and environmental.

European public authorities are major buyers of goods and services, spending approximately €1.8 trillion annually, representing around 14% of the EU’s gross domestic product. Public Procurement Law, shaped by EU and international regulations, dictates the procedures contracting authorities (CAs) must follow to select their contracting partners from the private sector. By using their purchasing power to choose socially responsible goods and services with lower environmental impact (sustainable public procurement – SPP), CAs can significantly contribute to sustainable consumption and production.

Promoting and utilising SPP enables CAs to incentivise the private sector to develop green technologies and products while promoting social responsibility beyond government contracts. SPP empowers governments to leverage public spending to increase demand for sustainable products and services based on social and environmental criteria, enhancing their market share and providing tangible business incentives. Public procurement is a highly effective tool for governments to achieve the SDGs.

The SAPIENS Network Final Conference

On June 20, the SAPIENS Network hosted its grand finale conference, exploring the intersection of procurement and sustainability. This event, part of the EU Horizon 2020 addressed various legal, economic, political, and management issues surrounding procurement and sustainability. Key topics included environmental protection, labour rights, fair trade, and women's empowerment.

With over 25 speakers and over 200 attendees, the conference provided a comprehensive overview of current trends and challenges in sustainable public procurement. It served as a prime opportunity for networking among researchers and stakeholders in procurement and sustainability.

Conference Highlights

The conference featured dynamic discussions on various aspects of sustainable public procurement, including:

• Industry 4.0 for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP)
• Empowering SMEs, Start-ups, and Women
• Measuring the Economic Impact of SPP
• Third-Generation Free Trade Agreements and SPP
• SPP Contract Performance
• Sustainability, Human Rights, and Supply Chain Management
• Fostering Sustainability in the Construction Sector and Circular-Built Environment
• SPP Tools to Fight Climate Change
• SPP and the Circular Economy

Spotlight on Research

Two PhD researchers represented Hasselt University at the conference:

• Aura Iurascu, from the Faculty of Law, conducts research on public procurement and the circular economy.
• Haitham Abu-Ghaida, from the Faculty of Business Economics, focuses on Life Cycle Assessment in the construction sector.

For more details about sustainable public procurement, visit the SAPIENS Network website.

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