Program

Ignoring health in public procurement: can we still afford it?

This conference addresses an urgent and still underexplored issue: the strategic role of health in public procurement criteria. According to the One Health approach, promoted by the World Health Organization, human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected. To ensure well-being and resilience, public policies — including procurement — must take into account their direct and indirect impacts on public health.

From school and hospital catering to the design of public buildings, from urban green space management to transport and street cleaning services, every tender influence people’s quality of life. Yet, health impacts are still not integrated into the Minimum Environmental Criteria and are rarely considered in award criteria. This gap is especially significant in the current context of ecological and social transition, which calls for systemic and cross-sectoral actions.

Can we really afford to keep overlooking these impacts?

With insights from experts, public administrators and sector professionals, the conference aims to spark a paradigm shift: placing health at the heart of public procurement policies — because every purchasing decision is also a public health decision.