Sustainability

PPRA's Commitment to Sustainability and ESG

Welcome to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority's (PPRA) hub for Sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). At PPRA, we recognize that sustainable public procurement is a powerful lever for achieving national development goals, ensuring value for money, and fostering a more resilient, equitable, and transparent Tanzania.

Our commitment is formalized through our Sustainability and ESG Policy and operationalized through the General Guidelines for Sustainable Public Procurement. We are dedicated to leading by example and guiding the entire public procurement ecosystem towards a more sustainable future.

 

Our Strategic Vision

Our vision is to embed sustainability into the core of Tanzania's public procurement system. This means moving beyond the initial purchase price to consider the full lifecycle of goods, works, and services. By doing so, we aim to:

• Advance National Priorities: Contribute directly to the Tanzania Development Vision 2050 and key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 12 (Sustainable Consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Drive Responsible Growth: Stimulate the local economy by empowering Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), youth, women, and local producers.
• Protect Our Environment: Minimize the environmental footprint of public spending by promoting green products, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.
• Strengthen Governance: Uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in all procurement processes.

Our Three Pillars of Sustainable Procurement

Our approach is built on three interconnected pillars that guide our regulatory functions and internal operations.

1. Environmental Stewardship

We are committed to protecting the environment for future generations. As a regulator and a public entity, we promote practices that reduce negative environmental impacts.

• Green Procurement: We encourage procuring entities to select goods and services with a reduced environmental impact throughout their lifecycle.
• Climate Action: We support the procurement of climate-resilient infrastructure, energy-efficient technologies, and low-carbon solutions.
• Lifecycle Thinking: We promote the use of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the true environmental and economic cost of procurement decisions over time.

2. Social Responsibility

We believe public procurement should be a force for social good, promoting inclusion and equity across Tanzanian society.

• Empowering Local Businesses: We actively implement preference schemes that give local tenderers a fair chance to compete, fostering regional and national economic growth.
• Promoting Inclusive Growth: We support the participation of Special Groups (women, youth, elderly, and persons with disabilities) in public procurement, creating opportunities and building capacity.
• Upholding Labour Rights: We ensure that procurement contracts adhere to fair labour practices, including the government minimum wage and the prohibition of forced and child labour.

3. Governance and Integrity

Strong governance is the foundation of a trustworthy and effective public procurement system.

• Transparency and Accountability: We enforce the principles of fairness, competition, and transparency, ensuring all procurement processes are open and accountable.
• Ethical Standards: We maintain high standards of corporate governance and ethics, embedding ESG considerations into our own institutional operations.
• Robust Oversight: We monitor and enforce compliance with sustainability requirements, ensuring that policies are translated into action on the ground.

 

ESG Governance and Implementation

Our commitment is overseen by a clear governance structure to ensure accountability and effective implementation:

• Board of Directors: Provides strategic oversight and approves the Sustainability and ESG Policy.
• Board ESG Oversight Committee: Monitors the implementation of the ESG Framework and reports on risks and performance.
• Director General and Management: Leads the day-to-day integration of ESG principles across all directorates, units, and zones.
• ESG Champions: Appointed in every department to drive sustainability in daily operations and regulatory functions.

We are also committed to annual disclosure of our ESG performance, aligning with the standards set by the National Board of Accountants and Auditors (NBAA) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS S1 & S2).

 

Key Policy Documents

For a detailed understanding of our framework, please refer to our official policies:

• Public Procurement Act, CAP. 410; enforces consideration of sustainability issues in all public procurement activities;
• Sustainability and ESG Policy, 2025: Outlines PPRA's high-level commitment, objectives, and governance structure for integrating ESG principles; and
• General Guidelines for Sustainable Public Procurement, 2025: Provides practical, step-by-step guidance to all Procuring Entities on how to embed sustainability into every stage of the procurement cycle.

Together, we can build a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable procurement ecosystem that supports Tanzania's socio-economic transformation.

 

"In our commitment to a sustainable future, NeST is our key to unlocking efficiency, reducing waste, and building a procurement legacy for generations to come." This digital shift is a testament to our dedication to the principles of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). It represents a more transparent, efficient, and responsible approach to public spending, ensuring that we build a resilient and sustainable procurement ecosystem for all Tanzanians, today and for generations to come." Dennis Simba, PPRA Director General.