Sustainability guidelines on public purchases to take effect in New Year

‘Hamburg's sustainability guidelines send a clear signal. We want to use our market power to achieve our climate targets," said Jens Kerstan, Senator for the Environment. The guidelines prioritise recyclable products "because durable and repairable products are frequently the more favourable option for the climate, environment and health," he added. At the same time, a negative list excludes the purchase of e.g., disposable crockery, peat products or non-repairable electrical appliances. The guidelines are supplemented by social sustainability standards for sensitive product groups such as textiles, electronics, IT, cleaning services and food. The focus is also on problematic chemical ingredients. The recyclability, durability and reparability of products are key purchasing criteria.

"Sustainability is more than just environmental awareness. In addition to ecological aspects, social criteria also important. These include, e.g., good working conditions, inclusion and equality," said Andreas Dressel, Senator for Finance. The sustainability guidelines are both concrete and practical to increase efficiency. The city plans to provide training and an advisory service on their implementation.  A monitoring system will gauge compliance and success of the measures. The guidelines will be updated regularly to  respond flexibly to market developments, legal requirements and other regulations.
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