The implementation of a sustainable purchasing policy takes a certain amount of time and effort. It involves defining a strategy based on strong management and a firmly-anchored policy, information and support from the staff concerned, cooperation with the economic players, the adaptation of specifications, and a finely tuned balance between the economic, environmental and social criteria.

We propose a three-pronged approach:

• A diagnosis of your purchases with regard to sustainable development.
• The design of the sustainable purchasing policy.
• Assistance in implementing it.

Concerning public purchases, their proportion of 15% in the national GDP constitutes an essential action lever for implementing a sustainable development policy.

The factoring in of sustainable development was clearly reaffirmed during the "Grenelle de l’Environnement". This should result in a reform during 2008 of the CMP (French Public Markets Code), in order to make the environmental and social clauses an obligation, not an option.