About us

Sweden’s regions are responsible for some of the most essential public services that affect citizens’ lives the most. Healthcare and public transport are the largest and perhaps the most important. The procurement work in Sweden’s regions aims to secure access to the products and services required to run these activities. Procurement is also intended to promote sustainable development.

That is why the purchasing departments in Sweden’s regions work to ensure that the products and services procured are produced under sustainable and responsible conditions. The negative impact on people and the environment throughout the product’s or service’s entire life cycle should be reduced.

National cooperation

Since 2010, Sweden’s 21 regions have been cooperating to promote sustainable procurement – all in line with Agenda 2030 and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Together, this gives the regions greater influence as procurers. Many suppliers sell products and services to all regions, and there are significant advantages when purchasing departments collaborate.

Sustainable Procurement in Sweden’s Regions is a collaboration between the regions’ purchasing and sustainability departments. At the national level, the Region’s Secretariate for Sustainable Procurement drives, develops, and coordinates supportive processes. Decisions to implement the processes are made in the regions. The regions are also responsible for identifying social and environmental risks when procuring products and services, developing long- and short-term action plans, and carrying out contract follow-ups.

Through systematic collaboration, each region is able to leverage greater collective purchasing power to stimulate a faster transition to sustainable production and consumption. A strategic perspective, high ambitions, and increased professionalization of sustainable procurement create tangible benefits for the regions’ residents, employees, and decision-makers.

Sweden’s citizens value social, economic, and environmental sustainability – regardless of age or place of residence. When asked how society should develop, values such as sustainability and responsibility for future generations rank highly. Citizens’ expectations that the regions should act to strengthen sustainability in their operations and procurement contribute to sustainable procurement being high on the agenda in the regions.