The EcoProcura 2018 conference on sustainable, circular and innovation procurement has confirmed the breakout sessions of its programme from 3-5 October in Nijmegen (The Netherlands).

EcoProcura 2018, marking 20 years of the conference series, will bring together over 400 procurers, policy makers, businesses, researchers and international organisations.

The interactive breakout sessions will provide an opportunity to discuss and identify ways of using procurement as an effective tool in the strategic decision making process of a public authority.

Breakout sessions are planned for the first and second day of the conference, 3 October 16:20 – 18:00 and 4 October 14:00 – 15:40, respectively. Some of the sustainable, strategic, circular and innovation procurement related topics to be explored include: circular economy, mobility, buildings and infrastructure, measuring the impact of procurement, food and catering, sustainable finance, social procurement, and energy.

To read the full list of Breakout sessions and more information about each individual session, take a look at the conference programme.

For more information about the conference, and to register before 31 August in order to avoid the late fee, click here.

Every three years, ICLEI holds its World Congress to showcase how local and regional governments within its network are advancing sustainable urban development worldwide. With over 1,200 expected participants and more than 200 speakers, the World Congress provides a platform to move the sustainable urban development agenda forward.

The ICLEI World Congress 2018, taking place 19 - 22 June in GLCN City Montreal (Canada), will also play host to the 4th High Level Event of the Global Lead City Network on Sustainable Procurement (GLCN).

On Wednesday June 20, 16:00 – 17:30 (GMT-4), Mayors and representatives from the GLCN network will present the commitments and achievements they have made over the last year, and plans they have for the future.

Confirmed speakers include Solly Msimanga, Mayor of GLCN City Tshwane (South Africa), Bo-Youn Hwang, Assistant Mayor, Climate and Environment, GLCN City Seoul (South Korea), Murphy Robinson, Executive Director of General Services, GLCN City Denver (USA), Mark Hidson, Global Director, ICLEI’s Sustainable Procurement Centre, Johannes Van Der Merwe, Councilor of Economic, Environmental and Spatial Planning, GLCN City Cape Town (South Africa), Balázs Szeneczey, Deputy Mayor, GLCN City Budapest (Hungary) and Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Mayor, GLCN City Warsaw (Poland).

For more information about the session and the sustainable procurement events taking place as part of the ICLEI World Congress, click here.

The winner of the 2018 Transformative Action Award will receive a prize of €10,000 to help initiate further transformative actions in the winner’s city or region.

Innovative and sustainable procurement actions working towards socio-economic, socio-cultural or technological transformation are particularly welcomed, especially those which showcase the use of public procurement as an instrument to accelerate the market introduction of innovative and sustainable technologies.

The award, co-organised by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the Basque Country, and the City of Aalborg (Denmark), rewards ongoing or concluded Transformative Actions that use the 15 pathways outlined in the Basque Declaration to bring about the socio-cultural, socio-economic, and technological transformation of societies.

Current or concluded actions in the field of procurement can apply for the award by the closing date of 31 July 2018. Applicants will be shortlisted in September and the award ceremony will be held at the European Committee of the Regions, Brussels (Belgium) in November 2018.

For more information and to apply for the Transformative Action Award, visit the Sustainable Cities Platform.