Exploring the Impact of Procurement Policies, Lifecycle Analyses and Supplier Relationships on the Integration of Sustainable Procurement in Public Sector Organisations: A Sub-Saharan African Country Context

Abstract

The incorporation of sustainability in public sector procurement is increasingly gaining traction globally. Numerous studies have explored the implantation of sustainability into public procurement frameworks, nonetheless, on the whole, there is paucity of empirical research conducted on the embedding and application of sustainability into public sector procurement in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. This research study integrates the measurement of the impact of procurement policy, lifecycle analysis (LCA), procurement processes and supplier relationships on the implantation of sustainability in state procurement models in a SSA country context. The study utilised a triangulation method by incorporating both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Results were attained from questionnaire items sent to 103 respondents working in procurement departments in the Nigerian public sector. In total, a 57% response rate was achieved. The study also conducted semistructured interviews with 10 procurement workers in the Nigerian public sector. The findings show that, aggregately, there are inadequate policy constructs to embed sustainability in public procurement. The paper recommends that governments in in SSA formulate and implement procurement policies that takes into cognizance the importance of sustainability and also set up processes that will induce an archetypal shift that inculcates greater sustainability awareness and performance.

Sustainable Public Procurement—External Forces and Accountability

“…However, these criteria lack legal status and as a result remain non-committal. Nevertheless, more and more municipalities use a strategic approach to make their procurement activities more sustainable [20,40], by preferably buying local and as sustainable as possible, despite all difficulties in legislation, government criteria, and complex stakeholder management [41].…”