Legal aspects of responsible purchasing in public institutions of higher education: a case study for the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco

Abstract

Sustainable development is an issue that has been on the agenda for decades, but that has been taking on greater proportions over time. In Brazil, sustainable national development is a major challenge and one of the ways to ensure this development is through sustainable public purchasing (CPS), given that the government is the country's biggest buyer, thus being able to modify the consumption pattern through their practices. Public institutions have a duty to promote CPS, complying with legal determinations, but actions in this regard are still timid. The objective of this study was to identify the relevant legislation to the CPS and to investigate the actions of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco - UFRPE related to the strengthening of environmentally sustainable hiring. Throughout the research, documents and information were raised, through bibliographical and documentary research, with the objectives of presenting the legal aspects related to sustainable contracting and observing UFRPE's actions to intensify sustainable contracting in the period between 2010 and 2020. The methodology Qualitative analysis allowed us to verify the actions of UFRPE for the growth of sustainable purchases in the institution. As a result, UFRPE tries to move forward in terms of compliance with laws, such as the obligation to have a Sustainable Logistics Management Plan, which includes Sustainable Purchasing, but does not apply the guidelines outlined in the plan.