Sustainable Procurement
We are committed to making sustainable procurement our default mode of procurement. UNOPS personnel involved in procurement activities consider sustainable procurement to the extent possible within the context of their work, the country, the industry sector and the supply market.
Effective January 1, 2020, UNOPS adopted a mandatory but flexible Sustainable Procurement Framework which requires that most of our procurement processes incorporate sustainability and gender mainstreaming considerations.
The framework facilitates enhanced supplier sustainability through the Delivering Responsibility in Vendor Engagement (DRiVE) Programme and also ensures diversity and inclusion in our supplier base through the UNOPS Possibilities (UP) Programme.
Recognising the importance of procurement for development, as part of its sustainable procurement approach, UNOPS developed in 2018 the DRiVE Programme (Delivering Responsibility in Vendor Engagement).
DRiVE includes a sustainability assessment, inspection and corrective action-planning programme for its suppliers to ensure that they operate responsibly and in accordance with high standards of integrity, in line with the United Nations Supplier Code of Conduct. DRiVE assesses supplier sustainability across 10 different areas within their organization, such as human rights, labour standards, equal opportunity, management systems, code of conduct, environmental protection and health and safety.
Do you want to know more about the DRiVE Sustainability Program?
DRiVE Program Questionnaire
DRiVE program verification
Corrective and preventive actions
All tender processes in the Project for the purchase of medicines and medical devices included sustainability considerations
Consolidated numbers*
* data is updated in December, 2021
High-level meetings with leading women in the health sector in Mexico
The objective of these meetings is to show the leadership of women in the health sector and their contribution to achieving greater access to universal public health, through Fair and Equitable Public Management.
1st High-Level Meeting: A dialogue of women from the public and private sectors, civil society and international organizations was generated, in order to seek innovative solutions that allow for better health services in Mexico through Fair and Equitable Public Management.
August 26, 2021
Press release
2nd High-Level Meeting: The dialogue of women leading access to health continues through work groups in which the good practices that generate better health services in Mexico were identified.
November 23, 2021
Event "UNOPS Suppliers for the 2030 Agenda"
March 23, 2023
Within the framework of the Project for the purchase of medicines and medical supplies, UNOPS seeks to promote, through its DRiVE Sustainability Program, principles of diversity, inclusion, sustainability, environmental management and gender perspective with its suppliers.
In this event, more than 90 enterprises and UNOPS shared experiences to collaborate in the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Gender, Diversity & Inclusion Best Practices
As part of our engagement with suppliers on supplier sustainability, the DRiVE team conducted an in-depth review of the practices of suppliers in the area of Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace.
All suppliers included in the review received guidance with examples of the best practices and more than 50% of suppliers were issued with corrective action plans based on the assessment.
“With the DRiVE exercise, after seeing all the DRiVE categories in a single document, we have realized the connection between all the categories”
- UNOPS Mexico supplier
UNOPS Possibilities
The UNOPS Possibilities (UP) Programme aims to enhance the diversity of our supply base to ensure that the suppliers we work with share and reflect the values of the people and communities we serve. More than just a traditional supplier diversity programme, Possibilities is about enabling micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to explore and unlock their potential to do business with us.
The UNOPS Possibilities (UP) is composed of two initiatives – the UP Forums and Toolbox, With a focus on women and youth-owned businesses and other special interest groups, we strive to build their capacity as successful entrepreneurs through awareness campaigns, providing advice and support, and by developing tailored free online training tools.