News & Press Releases - Fair procurement for the public sector

© FEMNET I Stefan Klübert

Berlin has a fair response

Berlin has high demands on sustainable criteria in public textile tenders. Theoretically. But how can this be put into practice? FEMNET accompanied the city of Berlin in the process for one year.

If workwear is purchased by an office in Berlin, ecological and, more recently, social criteria must also be met. Who is buying what (for whom)? The foundations have been laid, but how can implementation succeed?

In 2020 and 2021, FEMNET will support the Berlin districts and the Senate on specific issues. This ranged from lectures to the examination of tender documents and guidelines, participation in political enquiries to discussions beyond national borders.

Together with Berlin stakeholders (the competence centre for fair procurement in Berlin, the Action Alliance for Fair Trade in Berlin and the fair procurement working group of the Berlin coordinators for municipal development policy), research was carried out for months. Who in Berlin actually buys what textiles? And what sustainable criteria are already taken into account? The collected results are a good basis for further strategic consulting work.

It became quite concrete at a market dialogue for the street and green space and public order offices of Berlin. This involves rather small-scale procurement of workwear. It was shown what needs to be taken into account when buying to ensure that environmental and human rights are respected in production. And local trading companies confirmed - that's what's happening in Berlin!

Together with the competence center for fair procurement Berlin, FEMNET led a Bidder dialogue for the Berlin fire brigade through. Many manufacturers showed interest in the tender for the Berlin Youth Fire Brigade, in which not only environmental standards and compliance with the ILO core labour standards are mandatory, but also further criteria for sustainable supply chain management in the award criteria.

So much has been achieved together. FEMNET wishes you every success in the further implementation!