Scottish procurement and commercial competency framework

Sustainability and Innovation

Early Engagement and Role of the Intelligent Client (Drives Better Outcomes)

Sustainable Procurement [back to list] Theme:

To ensure that public procurement contributes to the Government’s purpose, which is to make Scotland a more successful country through increasing sustainable economic growth, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish. Enabling organisations to comply with organisational and national priorities, the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 including the Sustainable Procurement Duty.

Why it matters:

(1) On economic issues organisations are expected to ensure that spend is with suppliers and supply chains that meet high standards of business probity and ethics. (2) Social issues focus on reducing social inequality and mainstreaming and promoting equality and human rights, both nationally and internationally. (3) On environment, procurement is a key enabler to meeting Scotland’s climate change targets in compliance with the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024, and factors including biodiversity, adaptation and mitigation. (4) Facilitating access to public procurement for SMEs, Third Sector, and supported businesses. (5) Promoting innovation can help grow Scotland’s economy by encouraging suppliers to invest in, and develop new or improved, solutions to public service problems. Demonstrating compliance with relevant policy and legislation in Scotland.

Level 1 – Foundation:

• Aware of national and international priorities and obligations and complies with them.
• Aware of organisational priorities with respect to sustainable public procurement in Scotland, including a focus on socio-economic and environmental wellbeing, for example equality and climate change considerations.
• Aware of Sustainable Procurement tools and guidance including eLearning.

Global Standards: APM: Sustainability (1 Aware)

Level 2 – Working Knowledge:

• Actively contributes to sustainable priorities through procurement, considering relevant legislation, policy, and best practice within specifications and tender documents.
• Engages stakeholders to improve standards and practices and drives sustainable outcomes through key performance indicators and contract terms to enable appropriate monitoring and reporting.
• Monitors performance and supports reporting obligations relating to sustainable procurement, including a focus on socio-economic and environmental wellbeing, for example equality and climate change.
• Makes use of Sustainable Procurement tools and guidance including eLearning.

Global Standards: CIPS: 4 Delivering, 5 Delivering; ESG Implementation: Delivering, Innovation: Delivering, APM: Sustainability (2 Practised), CMI: Organisational Performance; Being an Ethical and Inclusive Leader (1)

Level 3 – Practitioner:

• Competently uses Sustainable Procurement tools and guidance to identify and target priorities for organisations and projects, collecting relevant data to inform approaches and meet organisational reporting obligations where appropriate.
• Constructively challenges and influences customers and suppliers to achieve sustainable outcomes through innovative specifications, targeted key performance indicators, and considered approaches to the way in which goods, services, and works are supplied and consumed.
• Identifies opportunities for new approaches to encourage innovation and effective market developments.
• Ensures procurement strategies, frameworks, and programmes are designed to maximise contributions to national purpose, organisational and national priorities.

Global Standards: CIPS: 4 Managing, 5 Managing, Implementation: Managing, Innovation: Managing, APM: Sustainability (3 Competent), CMI: Organisational Performance; Being an Ethical and Inclusive Leader (2)

Level 4 – Expert:

• Develops a culture of commitment to sustainable outcomes embedding these into all areas of procurement activity, including support and training for staff and maintaining on-going CPD.
• Collaborates with procurement colleagues nationally to maximise sustainable outcomes achieved, routinely sharing knowledge and learning to improve national capability.
• Balances cost and quality drivers (including sustainability) through effective costing methods to ensure value for money.
• Uses reported data to inform organisational procurement strategy and annual reports.

Global Standards: CIPS: 4 Leading, 5 Leading, Implementation: Leading, Innovation: Leading, APM: Sustainability (4 Proficient), CMI: Organisational Performance; Being an Ethical and Inclusive Leader (3)

Level 5 – Leader:

• Champions sustainable procurement achievements across both public and private sectors and leads on sharing practice at national and international forums and groups.
• Recognises and promotes the interdependency between sustainable procurement and its contribution to delivering public value, in particular ensuring strategies and programmes are designed to maximise public procurement’s contribution to Scotland’s national purpose.
• Promotes a culture of taking personal responsibility for delivering sustainable procurement outcomes.
• Leads engagement with stakeholders to continually improve sustainable innovation capability.

Global Standards: CIPS: 4 Influencing, 5 Influencing, Implementation: Influencing, Innovation: Influencing, APM: Sustainability (5 Expert), CMI: Organisational Performance; Being an Ethical and Inclusive Leader (4)