Book excerpt: Procurement is playing an increasingly strategic role as a lever for sustainable development and social and environmental responsibility. Greater regulation on sustainable procurement in the public sector, including significant changes to the EU Directive in April 2014, are driving this change.This comprehensive guide to sustainable procurement by practising legal experts Colleen Theron and Malcolm Dowden distils key developments in EU and UK public sustainable procurement legislation, government guidance and policy; provides an introduction to sustainable procurement more broadly; provides case studies and practical examples on contractual aspects of procurement; shows you how to set up a sustainable procurement strategy; and contributes to the development of sustainable procurement policy. There is also increased emphasis on "clean" supply chains in the private sector, as best practice seeks to mesh with public sector requirements and reduce the risk that bids for public contracts might be undermined by adverse environmental impacts or social misconduct along the supply chain.Private sector companies should act now to establish best practice sustainable procurement principles to minimize the risk of litigation; several international standards are embedding the principles of sustainable procurement into their requirements.The book also offers practical examples of what sustainable procurement entails, whether the organization is bidding for public sector contracts, in need of meeting tender requirements, looking to obtain certification for a standard, or is simply seeking to improve its supply chain management and implement best practice.