Skip to content

Cookies 🍪

This site uses cookies that need consent.

Advancing Sustainable Procurement Policy

Governments have enormous untapped power to drive decarbonization and climate resiliency across the larger economy, as well as to save money for taxpayers, using their authority to set procurement rules. 

Federal advocacy to promulgate climate-related procurement rules  

In 2022 and 2023, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council, composed of the General Services Administration (GSA), Department of Defense (DOD) and National Aeronautic and Atmospheric Administration (NASA), proposed two climate-related procurement rules.  

One was finalized and, as discussed below, today encourages government buyers to select products with EnergyStar ecolabels and similar sustainability designations. The other would have required climate risk disclosures by large suppliers. Although it was not finalized, it serves as a template for states such as California and Massachusetts that are seeking climate information about supplier handling of climate risk as a key step toward building supply chain resilience and advancing state decarbonization goals. 

Watch the webinar below to learn more.

"Knowing where your goods and services are manufactured, and where they come from, is critical in a world that is affected by climate change risk and by political instability."

Richard Kidd

Richard Kidd

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, Defense for Environment & Energy Resilience

Federal Supplier Climate Risk and Resilience 

During the spring 2023 comment period for this proposal, Ceres submitted comments in support of the rule. We later performed an analysis of the comment file that showed broad support for the rule overall, including a plurality of organizational letters expressing support and most opposition coming from carbon-intensive businesses and their trade associations. Download Ceres fact sheet on the rule. 

Sustainable Products Procurement 

The Sustainable Products Procurement Proposal, finalized on April 19, 2024, standardizes and strengthens existing best practices in federal procurement, makes significant advances in reducing climate and other sustainability risks, and promotes economic opportunities for businesses of all types and sizes that produce sustainable products. Under the rule, agencies and contracting officers are obligated to purchase products and services that are federally recommended as “sustainable,” unless a written justification for selecting an alternative is provided.  

Ceres submitted a comment in support of this rule proposal in fall 2023, and analyzed the comment file, revealing 92% of all commenters support the rule moving forward. 

Hear top sustainability experts discuss recent developments in procurement policy in the US, UK, and Canada and learn what actions and disclosures will likely be needed from your company in this new era of sustainable procurement policy in this recent webinar.

Latest updates on our advocacy


Apr 19, 2024
Ceres Applauds New Rule Prioritizing Sustainable Products in Federal Procurements
Feb 9, 2023
Ceres Calls for Bold Action to Curb Federal Supplier Emissions
Nov 10, 2022
Ceres Applauds Biden Administration’s Proposed Use of its Procurement Power to Reduce Climate Risk and Build Climate Resilience
See more

Never miss an alert

Sign up for the latest news and updates from Ceres.