Social responsibility in Computers & Laptops Framework Agreement - Case Hansel
BACKGROUND
Procurer
Hansel Ltd, Finland
Object of procurement
A Code of Conduct for the procurement of electronic products with a focus on social responsibility.
Value of procurement
The estimated value of the framework agreement is €180 million.
Objective of procurement
The main objective of the code (and the procedure) is to ensure compliance with decent work standards and working conditions across the entire supply chain involved in the production of ICT products purchased by Finnish authorities.
Parties and operators participating in procurement
- Central purchasing body: Hansel Ltd
- Main partner: Finnwatch
- Suppliers
- Verifiers/auditors
- Employees and their representatives (trade unions)
- Civil society organisations working on development.
Procurement – background
Hansel is the national-level central purchasing body in Finland. Hansel and its customers (Finnish public authorities) are committed to the promotion of socially responsible and sustainable public procurement. To this aim, ensuring that procured goods and services are manufactured in a fair and socially responsible manner is acknowledged as a priority.
Hansel has, therefore, produced a Code of Conduct for the procurement of electronic products with a focus on social responsibility. The choice to focus on this type of purchase was based on the fact that these products are often manufactured in countries where human and labour rights are not always sufficiently enforced. The code seeks to promote and ensure decent working conditions for workers across the entire supply chain of computers and other ICT-related products. The code is to be used in all future procedures (framework agreements, contracts) launched by Hansel in this field of supplies. This approach has been mainstreamed to other products and services through a general version of the code to be applied in other types of procurement.
Read the full case description from “Making socially responsible public procurement work - 71 good practice cases(link is external)” on pages 145-148 published by the European Commission.