On the 22nd April 2022, INSME Secretary General Giovanni Zazzerini attended the XPRESS Workshop on Co-creation in Venice. This session aimed to identify, present, and discuss useful tools and solutions to overcome administrative, technical, and financial barriers within the green public procurement context.
During the special session representatives from public authorities, small and large businesses, EU research agencies, and other knowledge and private sector partners, had the opportunity to engage and discuss developments of Green Public Procurement (GPP). INSME, member CONFAPI, played an important role by giving the opportunity to several Italian SMEs to showcase their experiences and challenges in the application of GPP in Italy.
The first round of the event, on Green Public Procurement and Public Administration, focused on possible barriers and solutions related to the application of Green Public Procurement with a particular reference to the renewable energy sector. Public authorities are major GPP consumers; by using their purchasing power to choose environmentally friendly goods, services and works, they can make an important contribution to sustainable consumption and production.
The second round focused on the existing financial tools to support the purchase of renewable energies and to ease the relationship between public authority and enterprises. Under the responsible financing approach, companies still aim to create value while taking into account principles such as fair compensation for employees, respect for ethical and social values, and environmental protection. Sustainable finance – also known as responsible finance has become a vital tool for addressing climate-related risks, which have become increasingly prominent due to the emergence of irreversible damage to the environment.
In terms of environmental, social, and economic sustainability, the sustainable transition requires the full involvement of SMEs, which are key players in global value chains. Without SMEs, this transition would simply not occur. On the other hand, for SMEs, the challenge of sustainability represents an incredible opportunity to acquire or consolidate their competitive advantage.
Hence why, these themes regarding sustainability of and for SMEs will only be explored further during the Second Stakeholder Cafè taking place in Portugal on the 11th May, another policy co-creation event, this time focusing on the solutions for the implementation of Green Public Procurement in the renewable energy sector.
Source: INSME Secretariat
