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Sustainable Procurement Research Initiative
Public procurement is a powerful tool, representing a significant 12.5% of Slovakia's GDP. It's not just about buying goods and services; it's a strategic lever that can help tackle some of today's most pressing challenges, from climate change to energy crises. But how "green" is this essential spending, particularly at the local level?
A recent report by Plaček, M. et al. (2025) offers an initial mapping of Green Public Procurement (GPP) in Slovak municipalities, shedding light on the current landscape, the barriers, and the opportunities for improvement. The study, a collaborative effort involving several universities including Charles University, American University's Kogod School of Business, and others, surveyed 121 politicians and directors across Slovakia to understand the facilitators and barriers to adopting and implementing green purchasing policies.
Slovakia's highly decentralized structure, with 2,891 municipalities, further complicates GPP implementation.
The Current State: A Mixed Bag of Progress and Challenges
Despite a 2022 amendment to Slovakia's Public Procurement Act, which mandates contracting authorities to consider environmental or social aspects in at least 6% of their annual procurement procedures, compliance remains limited. The report highlights a continuing reliance on the lowest price criterion, often sidelining crucial environmental considerations.
Slovakia's highly decentralized structure, with 2,891 municipalities, further complicates GPP implementation. Smaller municipalities, often with minimal administrative structures, face different challenges than larger cities with dedicated procurement departments. The study found that a mere 31% of surveyed municipalities reported having a formal green purchasing policy. This low adoption rate underscores the significant room for growth.
Unpacking the Facilitators and Barriers
The research identified several key trends influencing GPP policy adoption and successful implementation:
- Complementary Policies: Municipalities with GPP policies are more likely to engage in interdepartmental discussions on sustainable procurement and implement initiatives supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They also tend to set environmental sustainability targets, track related expenditures, and provide employee training.
- Price Still Dominates: Across the board, environmental criteria are generally perceived as less important than factors like price, previous supplier experience, and supplier qualifications. This strong preference for the lowest price remains a significant hurdle. However, for municipalities that do have GPP policies, factors like the sustainability of products, disposal costs, and life cycle costs are seen as more important.
- Leadership Matters: The Mayor consistently emerges as the most influential actor in GPP efforts. Interestingly, central government influence is considered more important by organizations without GPP policies, suggesting a reliance on top-down directives where local initiatives are lacking.
- Successful Implementation Factors: For the 31% of municipalities with a GPP policy, 58% consider its implementation successful. Key factors linked to this success include prioritizing the reduction of emissions and air pollution, utilizing certificates and ecolabels, and recognizing the crucial role of top management, middle management, and employees at all levels. A surprising finding was that successful implementers are more likely to acknowledge that suppliers often provide unreliable information about the environmental impact of their products and services. Furthermore, fostering an innovation culture, where employees are rewarded for innovative solutions, is strongly associated with successful GPP.
The Path Forward: 10 Actionable Recommendations
Based on their comprehensive analysis, the authors put forth 10 actionable recommendations to advance GPP in Slovak municipalities:
- Allocate Resources: Ensure municipalities have the necessary human and financial resources.
- Clear Standards: Prepare clear and practical GPP standards for various types of procurement.
- Centralized Information Hub: Create a central hub with resources, guidelines, and exemplary green contracts.
- Promote Success Stories: Document and promote case studies from successful Slovak municipalities.
- Learn from Abroad: Collect and share examples of successful GPP implementation from other countries.
- Strengthen Procurement Capacities: Enhance general procurement skills through training and knowledge sharing.
- Benchmarking Tools: Introduce benchmarking tools tailored to different municipality sizes.
- Engage with Mayors: Focus communication efforts on mayors to build political support.
- Identify Local Champions: Find and support individuals within municipalities who can drive GPP initiatives.
- Measure Goals: Begin measuring GPP goals now that they have been set to track progress effectively.
This report provides a crucial foundation for understanding and improving green public procurement in Slovakia. While limitations due to the study's response rate are acknowledged, the findings clearly highlight the need for continued effort, targeted support, and a shift in mindset to truly leverage public spending for a more sustainable future.
Report Authors: Plaček, M. et al. 2025. Advancing Green Purchasing in Slovak Municipalities. Fakulta Sociálních Věd, Univerzita Karlova; Ambis, a.s.; VŠB – Technická Univerzita Ostrava; Matej Bel University; Kogod School of Business and School of Public Affairs, American University, Sustainable Procurement Research Initiative.