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                    Sustainable procurement

                    City skyline with parkland in foreground
                    City of Melbourne aims to use our procurement processes to drive sustainability.

                    ​​​​​​​​​We want our buying power to make a difference beyond the financial value of the goods and services we purchase. We want to contribute to a fair, inclusive and environmentally and socially sustainable community for all, via our suppliers and supply chains. 

                    The sustainable procurement framework aligns City of Melbourne’s procurement decisions with our sustainability commitments, goals, targets and objectives by: 

                    • defining our key sustainability areas and priorities, as decided by the Council 
                    • assisting purchasing decisions to ensure sustainable procurement is our business-as-usual 
                    • ensuring the whole organisation consistently prioritises sustainable procurement 
                    • encouraging buyers to think strategically about environmental and societal risks and opportunities and work more closely with suppliers.

                    Our sustainability priorities are:

                    Governance - We aim to work with suppliers whose business practices meet legislative requirements and whose principles align with ours by: 

                    • ensuring suppliers support safe workplaces that comply with occupational health and safety, modern slavery and child safe legislation 
                    • ensuring suppliers support a fair workplace, including gender equality and diversity, equal opportunities and National Employment Standards.

                    Environmental sustainability - We aim to promote environmentally sustainable business practices by: 

                    • reducing carbon emissions in our supply chain 
                    • stimulating a circular economy by collaborating with existing and new suppliers to improve environmental management to deliver long-term circular economy practices 
                    • encouraging biodiversity and climate resilience practices with suppliers. 

                    Social sustainability  - We aim to elevate the inherent social value of doing business by: 

                    • increasing opportunities for Aboriginal businesses and peoples to address inequality and strengthen their role in the Melbourne economy 
                    • increasing opportunities for people experiencing social or economic exclusion or disadvantage.

                    The sustainable procurement framework has been designed to support us to achieve these sustainability priorities through procurement process. It explains what we mean by sustainability and details how we guide staff to embed it in their decision-making when we buy goods and services. The framework is iterative: we regularly update it to ensure it remains current with our priorities and the expectations of our community.

                    Alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals: 

                    • ​The Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Achieving sustainable development is the most critical challenge facing our generation. Our sustainable procurement policy and framework directly promote many of the goals.

                    Sustainable procurement priorities

                    Increasing opportunities for Aboriginal Melbourne

                    Working and partnering together strengthen and build the economic growth of local Aboriginal communities:

                    • The value that Aborigin​al business bring CoM through new procurement relationships and opportunities
                    • Buying from Melbourne and Victorian based Aboriginal businesses, in particular those registered with Supply Nation and Kinaway
                    • The use of Aboriginal Businesses as subcontractors
                    • Aboriginal employment and building capacity and skills
                    • Monitoring the success, growth and satisfaction of both the Council and Aboriginal suppliers

                    Increasing opportunities for those experiencing disadvantage

                    (Homelessness, Disability, Youth, Cultural Diversity, Older People)

                    Increasing employment of people experiencing disadvantage by our suppliers:

                    • Buying from social enterprises and those registered with Social Traders
                    • New jobs and opportunities for people who may be struggling to find work 
                    • Employment and skills through training, internships, and apprenticeships
                    • Local communities
                    • Cohorts that may be experiencing economic exclusion

                    Reduce pollution

                    ​(Including carbon emissions)

                    Reduce pollution including carbon emissions from City of Melbourne’s supply chain:

                    • Reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions and reduce pollution
                    • Impact of works, goods and services on the public (health and well-being, air quality, generation and disposal of hazardous materials) 
                    • Energy efficiency and encourage renewable energy
                    • Water management and reduce water consumption
                    • Avoid use of fossil fuels in the delivery of products or services to CoM where practicable
                    • Leverage CoM’s purchasing power to ensure emissions and environmental reporting from suppliers

                    Circular economy

                    (Reducing/eliminating waste, minimising the use of resources, water and energy)

                    Challenge existing and new suppliers to improve environmental management and collaborate on delivering long-term circular economy practices:

                    • Use of resources throughout the supply chain
                    • Products/services that have a minimal effect on the depletion of natural resources or that regenerate natural resources 
                    • Waste to landfill reduction through the supply chain and increase the use of materials that contain re-claimed resources 
                    • Transparent  supply chains:  materials, metrics, practices and progress on circular solutions
                    • Products and packaging across the full life-cycle: selection of materials and design & funding and managing product stewardship at the end of the product’s life.

                    Biodiversity and climate resilience

                    Encourage new and existing suppliers:

                    • Passive cooling efficiency: canopy cover over public spaces and travel routes 
                    • Nature used to solve problems by implementing nature-based solutions: green infrastructure and water sensitive urban design; protection of local nature and tree protection
                    • Drainage, water storage and increased permeability considerations into building retrofit designs to protect waterways
                    • Protect and enhance the natural environment and green spaces of our municipality
                    • Connect people with nature

                    Increase opportunities for Melbourne based businesses, small business and start-ups

                    Support City of Melbourne's reactivation and recovery plan by supporting local businesses, suppliers, small business and start-ups:

                    • Businesses located in Melbourne municipality
                    • Local suppliers as sub-contractors
                    • Generation of local employment
                    • Local production and manufacturing
                    • Fostering innovation and emerging sectors 
                    • Building relationships and encouraging purchasing from start-ups and small businesses to help build their capacity

                    Supporting safe and fair workplaces

                    (Modern Slavery Act, Occupational Health and Safety, Child Safety, Gender Equity, Equality, Employment Standards)

                    Ensuring safe and fair workplaces for all:

                    • Modern Slavery Act: take reasonable action to prevent Modern Slavery in all its forms, protecting and respecting all human rights.
                    • Occupational Health and Safety: impacts are identified, assessed and managed prior to procurement decisions being made.
                    • Child Safe expectations and obligations (Victorian Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme): embedded within relevant contracts to honour our commitment to keeping children safe from abuse and harm and our zero-tolerance approach to child abuse.
                    • Gender equality and diversity is considered and promoted within supplier businesses and its services and products in line with our obligations under the Gender Equality Act (2020)
                    • Observe the National Employment Standards ensuring fair working conditions
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