News

Climate Literacy eLearning Platform Launched for Scotland's Public Sector Buyers

Through the Climate and Procurement Forum, Scottish Procurement has launched a Climate Literacy eLearning platform as part of its sustainable procurement tools for buyers.

This platform will help support buyers in Scotland to take the next steps towards becoming climate literate to support net-zero aims for individual public sector organisations and Scotland as a whole.

Ivan McKee MSP, Minster of Trade, Innovation and Public Finance, said:

“The Climate Literacy for Buyers eLearning is a welcome resource that will help public bodies to play their part in meeting Scotland’s ambitious climate change commitments. Along with our wider sustainable procurement support, we are keen to make this product widely available.”

The Climate Literacy platform can be accessed from the Sustainable Procurement Tools platform. The eLearning focuses on three modules:

• The Climate Challenge;
• Responding to the Challenge; and
• Taking Action.

It is a unique, on demand product that will help to encourage and assist public bodies to take account for climate and circular economy in their procurement activity.

Zero Waste Scotland

Zero Waste Scotland previously developed Sustainable Procurement Tools to help Scottish Public bodies identify and achieve economic, social and environmental outcomes through procurement activity. The platform, which provides easier access to tools and guidance on sustainable procurement, was developed using one of the Scottish Government's national frameworks, which resulted in a contract award to a Scottish SME, Zero Waste Scotland.

The Sustainable Procurement Tools were launched in the summer of 2020. Since the launch, Zero Waste Scotland have been helping public bodies to use the new tools through creation of written and video instructions and the offer of demonstrations.

The Sustainable Procurement Tools have already seen a high volume of engagement. In total they have have around 350 registered users across 122 organisations, 79 of which are Scottish Public Sector bodies. There is also a healthy number of Public Sector and private organisations in other parts of the UK and further afield, including Australia and Canada.

More Information

Read more about the buyer tools on the Scottish Procurement blog.

The Supplier Development Programme is currently refreshing supplier tender training materials to ensure that suppliers will be prepared for upcoming changes to procurement. By preparing suppliers for an expected sharp increase in sustainable procurement practices, they will be better positioned to contribute to addressing the climate emergency by delivering goods, works and services to Scotland's public sector.