Procuring a More Circular Future – Event Highlights Economic Opportunity for Scotland : Zero Waste Scotland: Procurement A Key Tool to Shape Circular Economy

The move to a more circular economy in Scotland will be shaped by the procurement process, Zero Waste Scotland said today at Procurex, Scotland’s national procurement conference.

The organisation, which delivers Scotland’s circular economy strategy, Making Things Last, highlighted the purchasing power of the public sector in Scotland, which spends £11 billion per annum on goods and services, and is highly influential throughout the supply chain.

According to Zero Waste Scotland, this spending power could be harnessed for economic and environmental benefit for the whole of Scotland.

It added that Circular procurement promotes innovative performance or usage-based business models, that focus on access to services and products, rather than ownership.

Making the right choices early in the procurement process was said tob e key, so that materials and components are suitable, at end-of-life, for repair or refurbishment and re-use, thereby helping to close the materials loop. It adds value in other ways too for example, by extending and intensifying long-term business relationships with suppliers and customers.

The European Commission launched a new guide at the event, Public Procurement for a Circular Economy: Good Practice and Guidance, which references Zero Waste Scotland’s guide on Procuring for Reuse, Repair & Remanufacturing.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said:

“Creating the ‘pull factors’ via procurement will be vital in transforming Scotland’s economy to a more circular one, which will have a significant boost for Scotland’s economy and jobs, while making the most of precious raw materials.

"Given that the public sector in Scotland spends a hugely significant amount of money - £11billion every year – it is in a strong position to influence change and development of more circular, and thus sustainable, ways of doing business.

“We’re delighted to be speaking to procurement professionals at Scotland’s biggest national procurement event, to talk to them about the range of support Zero Waste Scotland offers, to help them to use a circular approach to get the goods and services they need, in a way that will be sustainable and have benefits in the long term.”

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