Government Purchasing: Sustainability’s Best-Kept Secret?

Originally aired April 22, 2021

Government is the largest buyer of goods and services across the globe — and that purchasing power is sustainability’s best-kept secret. This webinar explores how sustainable public procurement can drive supply chain decarbonization, reshape consumer markets, and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Experts from ASU, the General Services Administration, and the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council discuss evidence, strategy, and real-world examples.

Speakers

Nicole Darnall

Co-Founder, ASU Sustainable Purchasing Research Initiative; Regents Professor, Arizona State University

Nicole Darnall is a Regents Professor at Arizona State University and co-founder of ASU’s Sustainable Purchasing Research Initiative. Her research demonstrates that government product purchases carry a carbon footprint nine times that of buildings and vehicle fleets, making sustainable procurement one of the most powerful levers available for reducing institutional carbon impacts and transforming supply chains.

Sarah O’Brien

Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC)

Sarah O’Brien is CEO of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, a nonprofit that helps organizations build sustainable purchasing programs and maximize the positive impacts of their procurement decisions. She works with governments, corporations, and institutions to translate sustainability ambitions into purchasing policies with measurable outcomes for people, communities, and the environment.

Adina Torberntsson

Procurement Analyst, Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services Administration (GSA)

Adina Torberntsson is a Procurement Analyst in GSA’s Office of Governmentwide Policy, where she co-chairs the interagency Sustainable Acquisition and Materials Management Practices (SAMM) Working Group. The group provides recommendations and best practices on sustainable acquisition to federal agencies, and Adina has worked extensively on tools and policies that embed sustainability into federal purchasing decisions.