Revista Internacional de Economia e Ciências de Gestão

SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT: Concept, and Practical Implications for the Procurement Process.

Abstract

Matthew Kalubanga

New trends in the field of procurement require embedment of sustainability principles in the way the entire procurement process is executed. The need to improve organisational efficiency, reduce waste, overcome supply chain risk, and achieve competitive position has made companies to start considering environmental issues from a competitive view point. Procuring organizations are more seriously involved in designing and implementing sustainable procurement policies focusing on how environmental issues and issues relating to other aspects of the sustainable development pillars (society and economy) can be integrated in the procurement process activities. However, a clear understanding of the concept of sustainability and how it is related to the procurement process is still lacking especially within the context of a developing country like Uganda. This paper seeks to review the concept of sustainable procurement, provide a discussion on the practical implications associated with sustainable procurement practices and identifying gaps that would guide future research.