Understanding Sustainable Public Procurement: Reflections from India and the World

This book explores the development of sustainable public procurement (SPP) as a strategic policy instrument to support decoupling of economic growth from environmental degradation and enhancing social well-being. Offering an in-depth case study of India’s SPP implementation trajectory, it discusses the challenges of integrating sustainability criteria into purchasing decisions, and examines policy choices and best practices to address them. It investigates the legislative, institutional, and governance framework for SPP in India, and identifies priority actions to accelerate wider uptake of SPP policy and practices. Furthermore, the book highlights the evolving role of SPP policies in response to emerging global mega trends, such as international trade, low carbon economy, circular economy, and Industry 4.0. Given its scope, this book appeals to scholars of economics, public administration, and environmental and social sciences, as well as to policymakers, practitioners, and advocates interested in steering transformational changes towards mainstreaming sustainable procurement practices in developing economies at the desired scale.
＂This book comes at the right time to compensate for the lack of in-depth works on the origins, nature and reality of the implementation of sustainable purchases.＂
- Farid Yaker, Programme Officer, Sustainable Public Procurement, Economy Division, UNEP, Paris, France. ＂...If you are a procurement or sustainability professional anywhere in the world, please read this book. It will change the way you think and feel about your profession.＂
- Shaun McCarthy OBE, Chair, Supply Chain Sustainability School, London, UK & Director, Action Sustainability, London, UK

Sanjay Kumar has over two decades of governance and leadership experience in public policy, procurement, supply chain, and environmental and social safeguards. He is currently the Chief Materials Manager for the Western Railway, Ministry of Railways, India. He has extensive experience working with governments, NGOs, academia and multilateral agencies toward embedding sustainability in end-to-end procurement and has been one of the leading voices from the region advocating the growth of sustainable procurement movement in India.

An M. Tech in Environmental Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, and MA in Public Policy & Sustainable Development from TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, India, Sanjay has led various initiatives in research, advocacy and implementation of Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) in India & abroad. He serves as a member on the National Task Force of Government of India on Sustainable Public Procurement; on Strategic Advisory Committee of Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC), Washington, USA; and as President, Board of Trustees of Asia-Pacific Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP), Bangkok, Thailand. He is the VOICE of Sustainable Procurement in the Health Sector (SPHS), nominated by Inter-agency Task Team of United Nations. He currently leads One Planet Network SPP Programme’s Interest Group on Sustainable Procurement in Construction/Infrastructure.

His recent publications as co-author include the Second Edition of UNEP’s Sustainable Public Procurement Guidelines and UNEP’s Policy Brief: Driving Sustainability Through Public Procurement of Infrastructure, both in 2021.