Sustainable procurement in construction and the realisation of the sustainable development goal (SDG) 12

Abstract

As the major consumer of resources and energy, the construction industry has been at the heart of the debate on sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the overarching guidance for the construction industry to promote sustainable development from environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Moreover, sustainable consumption and production (SCP) are highlighted in the SDG 12, while Sustainable Procurement (SP) focuses on promoting sustainable development through procurement processes and decisions. However, little has been written about how the construction industry could turn the challenges of SP into opportunities that promotes procurement practices in accordance with national policies and priorities. This study examines the drivers and challenges on the adoption of sustainable procurement in construction and how it impacts the achievement of SDG 12. The quantitative approach using questionnaires identified the drivers and barriers to SP implementation in construction and the SP practices contributing to the realisation of SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production). The results confirmed that the construction industry should play a significant role in achieving the SDGs and show that construction SP practices contribute to the realisation of 9 of the SDG 12 targets. The results also suggested that governments should play a more active role in partnership with industry stakeholders and that the social and economic dimensions of sustainability deserve more attention. The value of this study is to provide construction industry stakeholder an insight into the drivers and challenges of SP and how to turn SP challenges into opportunities by adopting initiatives that consider the environmental, social, and economic impact of all procurement decisions. It also highlights the important role of the construction industry towards the realisation of the SDGs, particularly the significance of SP practices in the construction industry to the achievement of SDG 12.