News & Press Releases - Fair procurement for the public sector © FEMNET ⁇ Rosa Grabe 19 November 2025 Gender Equality in Public Procurement It is widely known that in so-called high-risk industries such as textiles, electronics or food, there are devastating labour and human rights violations in the supply chain. On 30 October, we discussed with municipalities and representatives of civil society why gender equality is a central issue for fair procurement practices. It became clear: Municipalities have concrete options for action – and they can already make effective use of them today. On 30 October, FEMNET and Sustainability Training, together with procurement managers and representatives of civil society, examined which practical approaches and criteria could be used to effectively integrate gender equality into sustainable procurement. Equality features are often demanded in awards, e.g. by the cities of Munich, Berlin or Hamburg. How can these approaches be applied to the supply chain?? With reference to individual criteria in the brands performance check of the multistakeholder initiative Fair Wear Foundation (for textiles) and the seal Fairtrade (for food), as well as other starting points from the Guidance on taking gender equality into account for the public sector (PDF file) gender aspects can already be anchored today, e.g. in risk analyses and complaint mechanisms . Practical entry points for the integration of gender criteria in tenders could therefore be the consideration of specific standards or the targeted selection of products from women's cooperatives in direct awards. Depending on the product, it may make sense to exclude chemicals that have a harmful effect on the reproduction of workers during production. It is particularly important to build up the knowledge on gender-responsive procurement in a structured way and to pass it on to administrations. Gradual awareness raising, workshops and market dialogues make it easier to get started and promote sustainable changes in practice. Other events For all Equality Officers and Procurement Officers interested in “Strengthening Equality through Procurement. Strategies for gender-responsible public procurement practices” – Information about the workshop on 5.12.2025 in Berlin . In 2026, FEMNET will accompany the city of Fürth in the concrete demand for gender equality in the awarding process. As always, you will find the results in the Sustainability Compass. At the end of 2026, we offer interested municipalities a workshop in which the most important lessons learned can be discussed.
