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The Center for Sustainability and Ecological Transition, in consultation with the University's General Management, is organizing a training course entitled "Sustainable Management of Public Procurement: Green Public Procurement and Minimum Environmental Criteria in Public Administration," aimed at purchasing managers and their staff at the offices of the University of Palermo.

Green Public Procurement (GPP) is an environmental policy tool that aims to foster the development of a market for products and services with reduced environmental impact through the lever of public demand, in order to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the main European strategies on sustainability, and in particular to the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.

GPP is defined as "the approach whereby governments integrate environmental criteria into all stages of the purchasing process, encouraging the diffusion of environmental technologies and the development of environmentally sound products.

Public bodies represent the largest "consumer" of goods and services. They can, therefore, act as a driving force for the implementation of a sustainable development strategy, influencing the market, businesses, and the type of products and services offered with their purchases.

Given the economic importance of public procurement, GPP is not only an environmental policy tool but also an economic policy tool. Green procurement policy is a pillar of the European Green Deal as it promotes the reduction of climate-changing gas emissions, helps the economy and in particular strengthens the circular economy, supports businesses to meet environmental, economic and social sustainability criteria, and increases human rights actions and policies along supply chains. GPP is thus a functional tool for achieving environmental and economic goals but also social objectives.

The course aims to:

• Provide participants with knowledge about Green Public Procurement and the related Italian and European regulatory environment;
• To develop the practical skills necessary for drafting notices in accordance with the green criteria set forth in the Minimum Environmental Criteria and the Public Contract Code regulations on sustainable product procurement and works and service contracts;
• Raise participants' awareness, through training and information, of the adoption and dissemination of good purchasing and consumption practices.

The goal is to promote the diffusion of products and services with reduced environmental impact by preferring durable, energy-efficient and waste-reducing products and services, while fostering the spread of best practices in order to activate a virtuous circle that will result in cost savings, technological development and the promotion of a sustainable and circular economy.

The course links to Goal 12 "Responsible Consumption and Production" (Targets 12.5; 12.6; 12.7) of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.