ABSTRACT

This chapter analyses the integration of sustainable development in a standard decision process in organisations. Integrating environmental aspects into procurement decisions is extremely important. Still, the legal framework differs in every country and thus forms part of the following guideline for sustainability-oriented procurement. The integration of specific criteria in procurement as a function of supply management is important for the realisation of sustainable development in business decision-making. The need for integrating sustainability aspects into procurement decisions is stressed by the European Commission, which intensively promotes green procurement. The chapter provides the perspective of a procurer and focuses on procurement of operating-room textiles in hospitals. The introduction of the 'diagnosis related groups' in Germany put further economic pressure on hospitals and made full cost accounting a vital tool. Since the first priority within German law on waste management is the avoidance of waste, the procurement of products has considerable influence on this issue.