Sustainable Public Procurement of Infrastructure and Human Rights


Book Description

This innovative book addresses the links between sustainability and human rights in the context of infrastructure projects and uncovers the human rights gap in every stage of public procurement processes to deliver on infrastructure assets or services.




Public Procurement and Human Rights


Book Description

This timely work reflects on the role and obligations of the state as a buyer of goods and services, from the dual disciplinary perspectives of public procurement and human rights. Through theoretical and doctrinal analyses, and practice-focused case studies, it interrogates the evolving character of public procurement as an interface for multiple normative regimes and competing policies. Challenging the prevailing paradigm which subordinates human rights to narrowly-defined economic goals, insightful contributions advance a compelling case for greater inter-disciplinarity and policy coherence as crucial to realising international policies such as those embodied in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.




Public Procurement and Human Rights


Book Description

This timely work reflects on the role and obligations of the state as a buyer of goods and services, from the dual disciplinary perspectives of public procurement and human rights. Through theoretical and doctrinal analyses, and practice-focused case studies, it interrogates the evolving character of public procurement as an interface for multiple normative regimes and competing policies. Challenging the prevailing paradigm which subordinates human rights to narrowly-defined economic goals, insightful contributions advance a compelling case for greater inter-disciplinarity and policy coherence as crucial to realising international policies such as those embodied in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.




The Economics and Law of Public Procurement


Book Description

Public procurement makes up a significant part of national economies: 10–25% of gross domestic product (GDP), depending on the country. Appropriate laws and regulations are an essential tool to direct the action of procurers towards the public good and avoid corruption and misallocation of resources, while at the same time sustaining progress and social goals. The original approach of this book combines juridical, economic, and technical expertise to find common terrain and a common language in order to debate the specific issues that affect public administrations across the world that need advancing and modernizing. The book features contributions across four specific themes of interest to the procurer’s day-to-day job in modern public purchasing organizations: preferences and political economy in public procurement, climate change, defence procurement, and human rights in public procurement. The aim is to let the new emerging trade-offs between competition and sustainability emerge, highlighting at the same time the possible synergies between the relevant policy objectives. The book takes into account sectoral specificities, reinforced by recent global events such as wars, natural disasters, and populism. The unique format features in each section an interdisciplinary debate between two experts across different disciplines who deliberate and engage one another so as to improve the mutual understanding across disciplines, followed by two additional contributions. This book will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and policymakers worldwide.




Engineering for Sustainable Communities


Book Description

Engineering for Sustainable Communities: Principles and Practices defines and outlines sustainable engineering methods for real-world engineering projects.




Routledge Handbook on Labour in Construction and Human Settlements


Book Description

Routledge Handbook on Labour in Construction and Human Settlements presents a detailed and comprehensive examination of the relationship between labour and the built environment, and synergises these critical focus areas in innovative ways. This unrivalled edited collection of chapters analyses problems and presents possible solutions related to the employment and conditions of workers in the construction industry. It provides comprehensive coverage of the relationship between the global workforce and the built environment and is divided into four topical areas: how labour and the built environment relate to development; employment generation in the built environment; quality of employment in the built environment; and the impact of the built environment on labour in other sectors. Underpinning the entire book is the premise that the way the built environment is produced, and its main products – buildings, cities and towns – have an impact on large numbers of workers. At the same time, the quality of the built environment requires construction workers who are well trained and with good working conditions. While cities and towns are the engines of economic growth, they will not be able to fulfil their economic potential if poverty in the workforce is not addressed. Those who are unemployed, underemployed or work in unfavourable conditions cannot fully contribute to production, and at the same time are limited in their ability to purchase goods and services – therefore limiting economic growth and restricting improvements in their living standards. In addition, investments in infrastructure, housing and inner-city redevelopment cannot be sustainable if labour issues – i.e., poverty – are not addressed. This book aims at analysing this complex set of issues comprehensively and will be essential reading to a wide range of researchers across the interdisciplinary intersections of construction, business and management, economic development, urban studies, sociology, political science and project management.




The Routledge Handbook of Mega-Sporting Events and Human Rights


Book Description

The Routledge Handbook of Mega-Sporting Events and Human Rights is the first book to explore in depth the topic of mega-sporting events (MSEs) and human rights, offering accounts of adverse human rights impacts linked to MSEs while considering the potential for promoting human rights in and through the framework of these events. Drawing on the contributions of an international group of leading researchers, practitioners and advocates, the book introduces key concepts in human rights and considers how they relate to ethical, social, managerial and governance issues in contemporary MSEs, from inclusion and welfare to corruption and sustainability. It examines the role of key stakeholders in the delivery of MSEs, including organising committees, sport governing bodies, governments, athletes, sponsors and broadcasters, as well as the role of activists and advocates, and presents historical and contemporary case studies of human rights as an active issue in MSEs. The book provides new perspectives on human rights as a lens for understanding modern sport and as a guiding principle for responsible sport that protects the interests of individuals and communities, as well as offering guidance on best practice. It is essential reading for all advanced students, researchers, practitioners, policymakers and stakeholders with an interest in organisation and delivery of MSEs, as well as general sport management, sport policy, sport governance, the ethics of sport, event management, political science, development studies, ethical business or the significance of sport in wider society.




Sustainability in Public Procurement, Corporate Law and Higher Education


Book Description

Contemporary changes in law and policy at the global level to efficiently answer to environmental and social issues correspond to the traditional approach of limiting the regulatory and policy changes to a singular field or discipline: tackling the inherent unsustainability of corporate laws or incentivising the offering of sustainable finance to stimulate the transition towards sustainable practices. This book provides a new viewpoint and approach of simultaneously regulating seemingly non-connected fields in order to provide a fertile ground for a truly organic change towards sustainable outcomes. It addresses diverse questions of sustainable transition of the three specific fields to support sustainable practices in public procurement, private market transaction, and in educating future business leaders and legal experts by incorporating sustainable concerns as the underlying guiding principles of their conduct. It translates scientific findings into a practical format that can be used by diverse stakeholders searching for information and solutions in their respective professional fields. The underlying assumption is that a simultaneous action in the three respective fields of public procurement, corporate law, and higher education brings about more coherent and interconnected results that incentivise further action and changes towards sustainable practices. The book furthers the idea of policy coherence by building upon the findings in the field of public procurement, corporate law, and practice and higher education curricula. By identifying the barriers in the three respective fields for sustainable action and proposing solutions for either eliminating or minimising those barriers at the EU level, the book calls for further changes in the respective fields as well as for considering the spillover effects of these policies on other fields.




Law, Infrastructure and Human Rights


Book Description

From attacks on oil infrastructure in post-war reconstruction Iraq to the laying of gas pipelines in the Amazon Rainforest through indigenous community villages, infrastructure projects are sites of intense human rights struggles. Many state and non-state actors have proposed solutions for handling human rights problems in the context of specific infrastructure projects. Solutions have been admired for being lofty in principle; however, they have been judged wanting in practice. This book analyzes how human rights are handled in varied contexts and then assesses the feasibility of a common international institutional solution under the auspices of the United Nations to the alleged problem of the inability to translate human rights into practice.




Understanding Sustainable Public Procurement


Book Description

This book explores the development of sustainable public procurement (SPP) as a strategic policy instrument to support decoupling of economic growth from environmental degradation and enhancing social well-being. Offering an in-depth case study of India’s SPP implementation trajectory, it discusses the challenges of integrating sustainability criteria into purchasing decisions, and examines policy choices and best practices to address them. It investigates the legislative, institutional, and governance framework for SPP in India, and identifies priority actions to accelerate wider uptake of SPP policy and practices. Furthermore, the book highlights the evolving role of SPP policies in response to emerging global mega trends, such as international trade, low carbon economy, circular economy, and Industry 4.0. Given its scope, this book appeals to scholars of economics, public administration, and environmental and social sciences, as well as to policymakers, practitioners, and advocates interested in steering transformational changes towards mainstreaming sustainable procurement practices in developing economies at the desired scale. "This book comes at the right time to compensate for the lack of in-depth works on the origins, nature and reality of the implementation of sustainable purchases.” - Farid Yaker, Programme Officer, Sustainable Public Procurement, Economy Division, UNEP, Paris, France. “...If you are a procurement or sustainability professional anywhere in the world, please read this book. It will change the way you think and feel about your profession.” - Shaun McCarthy OBE, Chair, Supply Chain Sustainability School, London, UK & Director, Action Sustainability, London, UK