Sustainable Public Procurement in the Sao Paulo State Government

The Government of the State of Sao Paulo has integrated sustainability into its public procurement through a combination of electronic systems, a socio-environmental labeling system, and specialized training for public servants. The program emphasizes the use of standardized technical specifications for goods and services to ensure sustainability without compromising the transparency and efficiency of electronic reverse auctions. While the state has seen an increase in the purchase of labeled green goods and has successfully implemented timber legality controls, challenges remain in applying these standards to complex construction works and conducting full life cycle analyses of products.

• The Sao Paulo State Government utilizes a Socio-Environmental Label based on nine criteria to guide the purchase of sustainable goods, including incentives for social policies, waste minimization, and the adoption of technologies with lower greenhouse gas emissions.
• The state's SPP program has led to a measurable increase in the procurement of labeled items; for 14 evaluated groups of goods, the percentage of transactions involving labeled items rose from 16.03 per cent in 2008 to 24.15 per cent in 2009.
• Sustainability is integrated into the procurement of services through the Cadterc Studies, which contain over 700 standards requiring contractors to reduce water consumption, provide energy-efficiency certification, and comply with labor requirements.
• To manage the complexity of construction works, the government focuses specifically on timber legality through the Cadmadeira registry and the Legal Timber application, making accreditation mandatory for suppliers of timber to the State Government.
• The state employs electronic reverse auctions to ensure economic sustainability and transparency, which has resulted in procurement cost savings of approximately 20 per cent.
• The Basic Sanitation Company of Sao Paulo State (Sabesp) uses a pre-qualification process to ensure suppliers meet international and domestic socio-environmental standards before they can be selected for contracts.
• The State Policy on Climate Change (SPCC) established a target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 compared to 2005 levels, identifying public procurement as a key tool for this transition.

APA

Brauch, M. D. (2012). Sustainable Public Procurement in the Sao Paulo State Government. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/spp_sao_paulo_brief.pdf

Chicago

Brauch, Martin Dietrich. Sustainable Public Procurement in the Sao Paulo State Government. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2012. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/spp_sao_paulo_brief.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Brauch |first1=Martin Dietrich |title=Sustainable Public Procurement in the Sao Paulo State Government |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=July 2012 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/spp_sao_paulo_brief.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{brauch2012sustainable, author = {Brauch, Martin Dietrich}, title = {{Sustainable Public Procurement in the Sao Paulo State Government}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2012}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/spp_sao_paulo_brief.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }