Governments can use sustainable public procurement to foster inclusive and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific

Every year governments spend significant amounts of money in the goods and services needed to run their activities. The general governments of selected Asia-Pacific countries spent 582 billions in procurement in 2010. These expenses, which represented 5.6 percent of the GDP and 18.6 percent of total government expenses for the median country, could promote the creation of greener jobs and improve labour conditions through the adoption of sustainable public procurement practices.