Paving the Way for Sustainable Public Procurement: Integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance Considerations into Public Construction Projects

With the global commitment to achieving the net zero emissions by 2050, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations are steadily gaining prominence and have become obligatory across various industries. ESG and sustainability reporting are now seen as pivotal instruments for responsible and transparent business practice. However, there remains a notable lack of empirical evidence of the practical applications of ESG principles within the construction industry, particularly in the public sector. This underscores the need to explore how ESG is adopted in public procurement in construction. This study addressed the gap by employing interviews to examine the current integration of ESG considerations within UK public procurement practices. It offers important empirical insights into how public sector bodies evaluate projects through an ESG lens and how they prioritize, implement and measure ESG metrics in delivering public services. The findings reveal inconsistencies in the adoption of ESG principles, though carbon reduction consistently emerges as a core focus. In recent years, the importance of social value in public procurement has grown, largely driven by legislative development such as the Social Value Act 2012. In contrast, governance considerations remain relatively underdeveloped compared to environmental and social dimensions. Nevertheless, the uptake of social and environmental criteria in public procurement signals a positive shift toward more ethical, inclusive, and sustainable practices in construction, promoting greater accountability and transparency. These findings can help raise awareness among industry stakeholders and public authorities and supporting the development of more coherent and effective ESG strategies at institutional, local, and national levels.