Sustainable procurement facilitated by UN in Qingpu District
The symposium is held in Xujing Town, Qingpu District
Nearly 350 companies became registered suppliers for the United Nations thanks to a program on sustainable procurement in Qingpu District, a symposium heard on Thursday.
The program has yielded fruitful results by having releasing about 20,000 pieces of procurement information so far since its launch in June of last year.
It was initiated by the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges under China's Ministry of Commerce, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Office for Project Services, and the Qingpu District Government.
The first of its kind in Asia, it aims to facilitate the participation of China's businesses in the international public procurement market, forge partnerships, and promote China's SMEs and female entrepreneur firms, while establishing and enhancing cooperation with international organizations.
Two international procurement fairs have been held under the program and procurement orders have already been signed.
It was heard at the two-day "2022 UN China Sustainable Procurement Workshop" focused on "Multilateral Collaboration and Joint Development," which was held in Xujing Town of Qingpu District, gathering government officials and international organizations, sharing their insights and exchanges on topics of sustainable procurement.
"Sustainable public procurement has become a new trend in public procurement systems and policies, which require the fulfillment of economic and social benefits, and environmental targets via public procurement," said the CICETE (China International Center For Economic and Technical Exchanges) Deputy Director General Zhang Yi.
"The event aims at sharing proposals, plans, requirements and measures of government authorities and international organizations in promoting the sustainability of procurement, and company practices in sustainable development, to help suppliers, particularly SMEs, obtain better understandings of sustainable procurement and lift their capabilities in the field," Zhang noted.
Discussions during the symposium
During the symposium, officials, experts, and entrepreneurs shared background and development trends of sustainable procurement, with standards, experiences and practices related to sustainable development, to facilitate the establishment of a sustainable procurement network in China.
Qingpu District, with an advanced position in the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region, is already in the midst of its transformation and growth.
Xujing, under the national strategy of the Hongqiao International Hub, has been actively developing big traffic, convention and exhibitions, trade and commerce, and science and innovation.
A convention and exhibition industry chain has been formed in the area, which provides a large platform to bridge resources and enterprises.
The program will fuel the fulfillment of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, cultivate more outstanding suppliers for international organizations, and provide more high-quality commodities for international public procurement, said Chen Yu, deputy Party secretary and director of Xujing Town.
It aims at promoting and encouraging sustainable procurement with the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality.
Through knowledge sharing and capacity building, the program will particularly help SMEs and firms set up by female entrepreneurs, to participate in the procurement market of international organizations and tackle challenges such as lack of capacity, information and supporting services.
It hopes to create an environment of fair competition and lower the procurement cost of international organizations at the same time.
A foreign attendee at the symposium.
