The CO2 Performance Ladder as a Tool for Low-Carbon Procurement

The report evaluates the potential for scaling the CO2 Performance Ladder (CO2PL) in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The CO2PL serves as both a carbon management system for organizations and a procurement tool that provides certified suppliers with an award advantage in tenders. The study finds a general demand for third-party verified, easy-to-use tools to reduce carbon emissions, though implementation faces challenges such as risk aversion among public procurers, legal concerns regarding the link between criteria and the subject matter of contracts, and capacity constraints in smaller procuring entities. The report recommends aligning the CO2PL with common measurement methods like Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), engaging with European city networks, and providing specific support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to ensure inclusive participation.

• The CO2 Performance Ladder (CO2PL) is a dual-purpose instrument: it is a carbon management system based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle and a green public procurement tool that rewards certified suppliers with an award advantage, such as additional points or fictitious discounts, in tendering processes.
• The CO2PL has a proven track record in the Netherlands, where over 5,000 organizations are certified. Research indicates that certified organizations reduce carbon emissions twice as fast as the Dutch average, and more than 75% of certificate holders in the Netherlands are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Public procurers across the 10 surveyed European countries exhibit significant risk aversion, particularly regarding the legal validity of using sustainability criteria and the requirement to demonstrate a clear link between the award criteria and the subject matter of the contract.
• There is a widespread demand among European public authorities for practical, third-party verified certification systems to reduce the administrative burden of verifying environmental claims made by bidders.
• The report identifies a strong opportunity to integrate the CO2PL into existing national frameworks, such as Italy's mandatory Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) or the United Kingdom's Carbon Reduction Plans (CRPs).
• European cities are identified as key leaders for net-zero initiatives and are recommended as primary partners for piloting the CO2PL through networks such as DaringCities, NetZeroCities, and Big Buyers for Climate and Environment.
• To ensure effectiveness and comparability, the CO2PL must align with standardized carbon measurement methods, specifically Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which are becoming more systematic across Europe.
• The report emphasizes that sufficient lead time is critical for the successful rollout of the CO2PL, as suppliers need time to understand the instrument and undergo the certification and auditing process.

APA

Bechauf, R., Turley, L., & Casier, L. (2023). The CO2 Performance Ladder as a Tool for Low-Carbon Procurement. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-03/co2-ladder-tool-low-carbon-procurement.pdf

Chicago

Bechauf, Ronja, Laura Turley, and Liesbeth Casier. The CO2 Performance Ladder as a Tool for Low-Carbon Procurement. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-03/co2-ladder-tool-low-carbon-procurement.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bechauf |first1=Ronja |last2=Turley |first2=Laura |last3=Casier |first3=Liesbeth |title=The CO2 Performance Ladder as a Tool for Low-Carbon Procurement |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=March 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-03/co2-ladder-tool-low-carbon-procurement.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bechauf2023co2, author = {Bechauf, Ronja and Turley, Laura and Casier, Liesbeth}, title = {{The CO2 Performance Ladder as a Tool for Low-Carbon Procurement}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-03/co2-ladder-tool-low-carbon-procurement.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }