Demand and review social criteria

This brochure presents various ways in which contracting authorities can integrate social criteria into ICT tenders and review them effectively. The various approaches have different advantages and disadvantages, for example in terms of their informative value, applicability and the skills required. It also explains which evidence should not be accepted so that procurement managers can use this as a guide for further tenders.

The federal, state and local authorities procure goods and services worth around 500 billion euros every year. The public sector therefore has enormous leverage and bears great responsibility for improving working conditions in global value chains.

The purchase of information and communication technology (ICT) products such as desktop or laptop computers, servers, monitors, workstations, printers or smartphones accounts for a not insignificant proportion of public procurement. However, the life cycle of ICT products is characterized to a large extent by exploitative working conditions, human rights violations and environmental destruction.

In view of the complexity of ICT value chains, many procurement managers are faced with the question: What can the market or bidders actually demand? And what verification options can bidders use to credibly demonstrate compliance with labor and social standards?

There are currently no ICT products that are 100% "fairly" produced and consequently no evidence that proves compliance with social criteria along the entire supply chain. However, this is possible for certain stages of the value chain, for example in the form of quality marks such as TCO Certified. However, it is important to emphasize that quality labels are not the only option for effective verification. Alternative verification methods should be taken into consideration by awarding bodies.

Bidder concepts and questionnaires have proven to be useful alternative approaches. Positive experiences have already been made with these approaches in the ICT sector, but also in other product groups. Membership of the monitoring organization Electronics Watch is also a unique monitoring method for the ICT sector.