Forum Compraverde 2023: the highlights of the Green Procurement General Assembly coming up on 17 and 18 May

18 April 2023

It will be may for the first time, on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18, to host the 2023 edition of the Forum Compraverde Buygreen, the Green Procurement General Assembly, organised by Fondazione Ecosistemi at WeGil in Rome.

“Change the purchases not the climate” is the urgent invitation that Forum’s promoters are addressing to the main actors involved in the purchasing of goods and services to take action, to implement the ecological conversion of production and consumption patterns to reduce the likelihood of serious climate change.

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), the DNSH (Do No Significant Harm) principle and the ecological transition are the threads running through a programme involving experts, politicians, public and private authorities during the two-day event.

On 17 May, the focus will be on the fundamental role of public procurement in policies for decarbonisation, the circular economy and the protection of biodiversity. The role of Green Procurement in food policies in Italy and Europe will also be discussed. Focus of the day will also be on the new Minimum Environmental Criteria for events and the presentation, for the first time, of We Green catalogue, a guide to products and services for realising events with reduced environmental impact.

On 18 May, the focus will be on the numbers of Green Public Procurement in Italy with the presentation of the 6th report of the Green Procurement Observatory, produced by Legambiente and Fondazione Ecosistemi. On the same day, there will also be a focus on cities and climate, with an analysis of the paths to be taken by the 9 Italian cities (Bergamo, Bologna, Florence, Milan, Padua, Parma, Prato, Rome, Turin) committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.

The Forum will also talk about sustainable, inclusive and healthy schools. Workshops during the two-day event include how to realise low environmental impact buildings in compliance with minimum environmental criteria and the DNSH principle and how to value migrant background in procurement.

The GPP Academy, a point of reference in training, will be live streaming with training and information sessions on new legislation, projects and good sustainability practices.

The Forum will award the Compraverde 2023 Prize to the best Italian Green Public Procurement experiences in the following sections: Bando Verde, Politica GPP, Mensa Verde, Vendor Rating e Acquisti Sostenibili, Cultura in Verde, Edilizia in Verde and Social Procurement.

Forum Compraverde Buygreen is promoted by Fondazione Ecosistemi with the patronage and participation of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, Regione Lazio and Roma Capitale in partnership with Legambiente, Agende 21 Locali Italiane, Confindustria, ALI – Autonomie Locali Italiane, Fairtrade, Confcooperative Lavoro e Servizi.

The two days programme can be viewed HERE!

Social media

News

Public Food as a Climate Lever: The Rome Model Cuts Emissions by Up to 33%

Public Food as a Climate Lever: The Rome Model Cuts Emissions by Up to 33%

School meals can become a powerful tool for climate action. This is the key finding of an analysis carried out by Fondazione Ecosistemi in collaboration with the Climate Office of Rome Capital on the city’s new public school catering contract. By increasing plant-based menus, organic products and local supply chains, the Rome model is able to reduce emissions associated with school catering by up to 33%, while generating environmental, social and economic benefits.

Forum Compraverde Buygreen honours Italy’s leading Green Public Procurement pioneers

Forum Compraverde Buygreen honours Italy’s leading Green Public Procurement pioneers

Green procurement, sustainable school meals, circular economy and innovation: the Compraverde Buygreen Awards 2026 were presented in Rome during the event organised by Fondazione Ecosistemi. The 20th edition of Italy’s leading forum on sustainable public procurement concluded with the presentation of 25 recognitions, including awards, special mentions, the International Award and the Special +20 Awards dedicated to organisations that have contributed to two decades of Green Public Procurement in Italy.

Healthier School Meals, More Plant-Based Menus and Less Food Waste:

Healthier School Meals, More Plant-Based Menus and Less Food Waste:

More fruit and vegetables, plant-forward menus, less ultra-processed food and reduced food waste. But also greener public procurement and stronger local supply chains to transform school meals into a powerful tool for public health and environmental sustainability. This is the vision behind SchoolFood4Change, one of Europe’s largest initiatives exploring the links between nutrition, public health and environmental sustainability. The project involves almost 4,000 schools across 22 countries, reaches more than one million children and serves over 100 million school meals every year.