IPPC6

1. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO
SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT IN
COMMERCIAL SEMI-STATE BODIES IN
IRELAND?
Joey Gormly
Procurement Executive in Dublin Bus
MSc in Strategic Procurement

2. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Extent of use of sustainable procurement
(SP)
Barriers to the use of sustainable
procurement (SP)

3. Summary of Paper
• Background
• National Action Plan - 2012
• Little research conducted
• First study

4. Literature Review

5. Literature Review
INTERNAL BARRIERS
1. Management
2. Cost
3. Time
4. Further Training
5. Conflict with E-Procurement
6. Ind. Vs. Org
7. The Individual
8. Organisational Culture
9. Reluctance to Change

6. Literature Review
EXTERNAL BARRIERS
1. Legislation & Compliance
2. Policy Entrepreneurs/converts
3. Cultural Relativism
4. Obligation
5. Protectionism
6. Supplier Knowledge

7. Methodology
• Exploratory
• Literature review
• Non standardised semi-structured
interviews
• Non-probability sampling
technique
• 28 commercial semi-states
• Nine participants & two experts
• Analysis of data

8. Findings
P = Participant P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9
Procurement
department
present
Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Procurement more
imp in org. in
recent years
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Procurement more
strategic in org. in
recent years
Yes Yes Yes Yes Not sure Yes Yes
Down the
path to-
wards it
Yes
Procurement
qualifications in
department/
organisation
Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Sustainability /
green policy in
place
Yes Yes
State ment
only
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Statement
only
No
Sustainable
Procurement
policy in place
Yes No
Part of
Procu-
rement
Policy
Part of
Procureme
nt Policy
Part of
Procurement
Policy
Yes No
Part of
Procurement
Policy
No
Approx. tender
processes using SP
in last 3 years
100
Don't
know
24 100 80 Nearly all
Nearly
all
Unsure as
new to role
None

9. Findings
• Knowledge of Europe 2020/NAP
• Understanding
• Value
• Usage
• Type used
• Social considerations
• Application in tenders

10. Findings - Internal Barriers
1. Management 
2. Cost 
3. Time 
4. Further Training 
5. Conflict with E-Procurement 
6. Ind. Vs. Org 
7. The Individual 
8. Organisational Culture 
9. Reluctance to Change 

11. Findings - External Barriers
1. Legislation & Compliance 
2. Policy Entrepreneurs/Converts 
3. Cultural Relativism 
4. Obligation 
5. Protectionism 
6. Supplier Knowledge 

12. New Barriers Found
• The Right Tools
• Application
• Defining SP

13. Conclusions
• SP is being used by majority
• Importance of achieving value
• Economic and environmental
predominant
• New and existing barriers found

14. QUESTIONS???