A formal (written, approved and adopted) environmental policy or a set of environmental guidelines or principles that commits to responsible environmental action is the first step in greening the procurement process. It is a good idea for the policy to include desired accomplishments or goals in terms the following:

• environmental management strategies,
• environmental purchasing - i.e. factoring environmental considerations in purchasing decisions/strategies,
• resource use reduction, reuse and recycling,
• reduction in, and proper use and handling of hazardous and toxic substances,
• water conservation and quality management,
• conservation and enhancement of biological resources,
• design and construction,
• solid waste reduction,
• energy conservation and efficiency,
• pollution prevention,
• education, training and communications, and
• a commitment to continuous improvement.

A formal Environmental Policy presents a framework on which to base a strategic action plan. Having such a policy in place also provides explicit indication that the organisation considers energy- and resource-efficiency, environmental responsibility and sustainability to be key issues. One way of acting on these issues will then be through the purchasing department.

The formal environmental policy statement will ideally go well beyond general commitments, and include references to many key local concerns (and global ones that your practices affect). It is recommended to incorporate specific commitment to ongoing, continuous improvement, acknowledgement that the policy is endorsed and promoted by senior management and provision to communicate the policy to staff and other stakeholders.

Please note that the formal Environmental Policy may be directed at higher levels of government, in which case a green procurement policy would unlikely to go into the details set out above and instead provide accompanying guidelines, which would allow such detail.