Purchasing and sustainability
Like all water boards, HHNK wants to contribute to a sustainable economy and society. Our sustainability goals are ambitious and originate in the Climate Agreement (2010) and the SER Energy Agreement (2013), among others. At the end of 2015 was the climate conference in Paris. There, all participating countries agreed to a new binding climate accord. This should reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming. The urgency is high, time for talking is over. What does that mean for our purchasing?
Sustainability goals HHNK
- 30% more energy efficient and economical operations between 2005 and 2020
- 40% self-sufficiency through own renewable energy production by 2020 and 100% by 2050 (water boards produce all the energy they need themselves).
- 30% greenhouse gas reduction by 2020 and 60% by 2050 compared to 1990 emissions
- 100% sustainable procurement
Socially Responsible Purchasing
An organization committed to society is expected to procure products, services or works with maximum sustainable value. This means that in addition to price, we include the impact on people and the environment in the procurement process, and consider the possibility of contributing to the realization of policy goals through procurement.
Environmental criteria documents are available for a large number of product groups that contain sustainability criteria that can be adopted as requirements and award criteria in tenders. We always apply the minimum requirements as a minimum. Where possible, we apply the standard award criteria to increase ambition and further promote sustainability.
Sustainable GWW approach
In January 2017, the Green Deal sustainable GWW 2.0 was signed by more than 60 parties from the sector (including the water boards). The Green Deal's ambition is for sustainability to be an integral part of rail, ground, water and road construction projects by 2020 and builds on the 2013 Green Deal GWW. The goal of the Green Deal is that by 2020 all relevant GWW projects should apply the Sustainable GWW Approach in planning, construction, tendering, management and maintenance.
HHNK endorses the Sustainable GWW Approach and follows this approach for tenders with a contract value from € 0.5 million. We have already gained a lot of experience with the CO2 performance ladder instrument.
Social return
HHNK has an eye for the socially disadvantaged in society. We encourage, where possible and effective, the participation of the disabled in the employment process.
Social return is included as a condition of our procurement, unless it is justified why it is not possible or desirable ("comply or explain").
Social Return can be applied in different ways. For example, it can be an obligation for a contractor to make use of people with a distance to the labor market when performing the contract. Another possibility is not to put a public contract out to competition, but to reserve it for social workshops and entrepreneurs whose main objective is the social and professional integration of the disabled or disadvantaged. For each project we examine whether and how Social Return can be applied and for this purpose we regularly contact Noorderkwartier NV.
For us, Social Return puts the goal first (showing commitment to community development) and not the means themselves.