Fair procurement for the public sector
When the state buys, it should be fair.
From the computer mouse to the police uniform – instead of following the supposedly cheapest offers, the state can act as a role model and consciously use its enormous buyer power to improve production conditions and strengthen the supply of fair alternatives.
A significant proportion of all products required by the public sector are produced under inhumane conditions and in disregard of fundamental labour rights. At the same time, the public sector in Germany spends an estimated 500 billion euros annually to procure these goods. Financed with taxpayers' money.
In the meantime, many public contractors in Germany have set out to make good working standards in textile production the selection criterion for their procurement. Local businesses are also starting to follow suit. FEMNET has been supporting municipalities in pilot projects since 2015. We are guided by the most demanding means of proof and translate this into procurement documents. We offer multipliers a contact point, we carry the topic into education and training for administrative professions and prepare studies on relevant topics.
Our goals
Step by step, we are helping to make fair public procurement the norm to improve the market supply of fair workwear and global living and working conditions.
This is what we want to achieve:
- Procurement managers are made aware of gender-responsible criteria and transparency in supply chains.
- Municipalities recognize new opportunities for action and use the developed templates for their fair awards.
- Strategies to promote equality in the supply chain will be strengthened.
- Digital tools and practical formats facilitate the implementation of fair procurement.
Many thanks to Qreate for the implementation of the videos!
Our offers
Workshops: From idea to practice
Learn from practical examples and get tips for implementation. Tailor-made for your municipality, on the subject of gender equality or as an introduction to sustainable procurement in education and training.
WORKSHOPS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
Advice: Gender equality in the supply chain
Our pilot project with the city of Fürth focuses on the food supply chain. The results of a survey in 10 municipalities and from 2 workshops are taken into account. Sign up now for the final workshop at the end of 2026!
Data Collection & Model Formulations for Transparency
Where do your textiles come from? This is relevant for risk assessment, otherwise human rights violations are quickly overlooked. Our data collection highlights why you should make transparency requirements in the future.
Model formulations for your procurements
International networking for fair awarding
We network with experts from procurement and consultancy offices in Sweden, Norway, England, Scotland, Belgium and the Netherlands. We bring the latest developments back into the German network. Interested? Talk to us!