Procurement in the tech sector isn’t just about buying the latest software or hardware at the best price , it’s also about how those purchases are made and monitored. The “G” in ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance), standing for Governance, highlights the importance of transparency, integrity, and good management in procurement processes. Strong governance ensures that both public funds and corporate budgets are spent ethically and efficiently, with oversight to prevent corruption or malpractice. In Ireland, the UK, and France, governance and transparency standards in tech procurement have sharpened in recent years, reflecting a broader push to make procurement a driver of trust and sustainability. This article examines how these countries are implementing governance best practices in tech procurement, from open data on public contracts to anti-corruption measures and ESG accountability clauses in private contracts. By exploring key examples and policies, we’ll see how effective governance can amplify the impact of environmental and social initiatives and yield better outcomes for all stakeholders.
Integrity and Transparency: Foundations of Good Procurement
Public procurement is a massive part of the economy – in the UK, government spends over £350 billion each year on goods, works, and services, and in France public contracts were about €71.5 billion in 2013. With such vast sums at play, the risk of corruption, favoritism or wastage is ever-present. Studies estimate that globally between 10% to 25% of a public contract’s value may be lost to corruption and inefficiencies on average.
This can happen through rigged tenders, kickbacks to officials, or opaque single-source deals that do not deliver value. For the tech sector, where contracts for major IT systems or telecom infrastructure can be extremely lucrative, ensuring open and fair competition is crucial. Not only do governance failures in tech procurement waste money, they can also lead to subpar or insecure technology being chosen (if, say, a contract is awarded due to bribes rather than merit). Recognising this, countries like France and the UK have enshrined transparency and integrity as core principles in their procurement laws. In France, the Public Procurement Code explicitly makes transparency one of the fundamental principles governing all public purchasing.
For instance, French law (strengthened by the 1993 Loi Sapin and EU directives) requires that any public tender above relatively low thresholds be publicly advertised, and the results of awarded contracts be published, so that information is accessible for scrutiny. All calls for tenders over €90,000 must be posted on official platforms or journals, and contract award notices must be disclosed as well. This openness allows competitors, civil society, and the press to examine who wins contracts and on what terms, deterring favoritism. Similarly, the UK has long had requirements for publishing tender notices and award details (for central government contracts typically via the “Contracts Finder” portal). Furthermore, the UK’s upcoming procurement reform (post-Brexit) aims to create a single transparent database of contract data to improve accessibility and analysis of procurement information. Transparency International UK and other watchdogs have advocated for such steps, noting that standardising procurement data and disclosing more information can help detect red flags early and build public trust. Another aspect of governance is the prevention of conflicts of interest and corruption through clear rules and oversight. In Ireland and the UK, procurement staff in the public sector receive guidelines and training on ethical conduct – for example, avoiding any personal interest in contract decisions, and reporting any attempted supplier inducements. France’s laws similarly criminalise corruption in public purchasing and have independent bodies (like the Anti-Corruption Agency) issuing best practices for public officials. Open contracting initiatives, such as France’s commitment under the Open Government Partnership to increase procurement transparency, emphasise not just data publication but also civic monitoring.
By allowing external watchdogs to examine patterns (like a single bidder repeatedly winning or costs consistently overrunning), governments invite accountability which itself is a deterrent to malpractice. For private sector tech procurement, governance means internal controls and policies that ensure procurement decisions are made fairly and in the company’s best interest (rather than due to nepotism or personal gain). Many tech companies have procurement codes of ethics, require multiple bids for major purchases, and use procurement committees to vet significant contracts. Anti-bribery laws like the UK Bribery Act (2010) and France’s Sapin II law (2016) also extend to companies, making it illegal to solicit or accept bribes in commercial procurement. Compliance programs including due diligence on suppliers and training employees in ethics are now common in large firms. As part of ESG reporting, companies often disclose how they manage procurement integrity and any incidents of non-compliance. In summary, integrity and transparency are the bedrock, they protect the procurement process from abuse and create a level playing field. This solid governance footing is what allows environmental and social criteria to be meaningfully included, as we’ll see next.
ESG Criteria and Contractual Transparency in Tech Procurement
A notable governance trend in recent years is the integration of ESG objectives directly into procurement criteria and contracts. This goes beyond avoiding wrongdoing; it’s about proactively using procurement to further sustainability and social goals, with transparent evaluation and tracking. All three countries, Ireland, the UK, and France, have taken steps to formalise this in public procurement. Ireland’s Green Public Procurement (GPP) Strategy 2024–2027, for instance, builds on the principle that public purchases should have minimal harmful effects on the environment and society.
The Irish government now mandates that departments consider green criteria (like energy efficiency, recycled content, or lifecycle emissions) when buying products such as ICT equipment. They also emphasise social considerations, such as accessibility and inclusivity, where relevant. By clearly stating these criteria in tender documents and scoring bids on them, procuring entities ensure that vendors know sustainability is a key part of winning contracts – and they must be prepared to deliver on those aspects. The outcomes are reported transparently: progress on GPP targets is monitored, creating accountability for meeting climate action commitments through procurement. In the UK, a Social Value Model introduced in 2021 requires central government procurements to formally evaluate social value (which can include environmental and social well-being factors) in award decisions, with a recommended weighting of at least 10%. This has translated into tenders asking bidders to demonstrate contributions such as reducing carbon footprint, improving supplier diversity, or community skills development as part of their proposal. As noted earlier, the City of London’s IT contract that weighted 10% for social value is one practical example.
The winning bidder’s commitments to apprenticeships and digital inclusion were transparently scored and became contractual obligations. Once in the contract, those promises are tracked – the supplier must report on delivery of those apprenticeships, etc., providing a feedback loop that the social value is actually realised. This model of “what gets measured gets done” exemplifies governance aligning with ESG: by making such criteria explicit and quantifiable, the process becomes transparent and accountable for outcomes beyond just cost and quality. France’s approach, as mentioned, is becoming even more stringent. By August 2026, every public contract in France must include an environmental criterion in its evaluation, and/or have the price criterion reflect environmental aspects.
This legal requirement, born from the Climate & Resilience Law, effectively forces transparency on sustainability: no tender can ignore it, and contracting authorities must document how they weighed environmental impact in their decision. Moreover, France has a provision (Article 35 of the law) linking public procurement to corporate responsibility – meaning a company’s own CSR track record can be taken into account.
A practical example is the growing use of environmental labels or certifications in tech tenders (e.g., requiring computers to have an Energy Star rating, or EPEAT eco-label). These standards allow transparent verification that products meet certain governance-approved criteria for sustainability. On the private side, many tech companies now include ESG clauses in supplier contracts. These can range from requiring suppliers to comply with a Code of Conduct (enforceable under the contract) to clauses on data transparency (e.g., the supplier must provide reports on carbon emissions or labour conditions related to the product). Some contracts include audit rights, allowing the buyer to inspect the supplier’s facilities or supply chain records to ensure compliance with ESG expectations. Failure to meet certain ESG performance metrics can even be defined as a breach of contract. Such contractual governance mechanisms ensure that ESG isn’t just lip service – it’s written into the business relationship and can be enforced. Technology is aiding transparency as well. There’s a rise of procurement technology platforms that help track not only spend and supplier performance, but also ESG metrics of suppliers.
These platforms can pull data from various sources (e.g., environmental ratings, certifications, past audit results) and give procurement officers a clearer picture when sourcing. The result is more informed and transparent decision-making. For example, if a supplier has ISO 14001 (environmental management) or ISO 37001 (anti-bribery management) certification, a procurement system might flag that, giving confidence in their governance practices. Conversely, if a supplier has been fined for corruption or is linked to controversies, that information can be surfaced early. Finally, there’s open data and reporting on procurement performance. The UK and France publish annual reports on public procurement, which increasingly cover not just financial efficiency but also ESG outcomes (like number of contracts including social value, or total CO₂ saved via green criteria). Companies, too, in their sustainability reports, discuss responsible sourcing and procurement initiatives. This kind of reporting is a governance exercise – it holds the procuring organisations accountable to the public or shareholders for how well they integrate ESG in their purchasing. As an example, when Ireland’s Office of Government Procurement rolled out the remanufactured laptops framework, it came with an announcement highlighting the environmental benefits and aligning with national climate strategy. By publicising these details, they not only educate stakeholders about the initiative but also commit themselves publicly to its targets, making follow-through a matter of record.
Strengthening Governance through Collaboration and Standards
Good governance in procurement also means learning from best practices and continuously improving standards. Ireland, the UK, and France frequently engage in knowledge exchange on procurement governance through EU forums (for Ireland and France) and international bodies. They share tools like the Open Contracting Data Standard (a schema for publishing procurement data openly) which France has used to some extent and the UK is adopting for its new systems. Participation in the Open Government Partnership by both France and the UK has led to action plans focusing on open contracting and civic oversight of procurement.
Private companies collaborate via industry groups on procurement governance as well – for instance, tech companies might collectively support platforms for supply chain transparency (like Open Supply Hub, which maps factories worldwide). By agreeing on common standards (like the RBA Code for labour or ISO 20400 for sustainable procurement), they create a level playing field where all suppliers are asked for similar disclosures and commitments. This reduces “audit fatigue” and improves compliance, since suppliers know what to expect across multiple customers. Importantly, governance is not static: the rapid evolution of ESG goals (think about how net-zero commitments have surged) means procurement rules need updating regularly. We see this happening: the UK is reforming its procurement regulations post-EU exit to simplify procedures but also to embed principles like transparency, non-discrimination, and even allows excluding suppliers for prior poor performance or unethical behavior more easily. France’s recent decrees on procurement explicitly strengthen social and environmental considerations. Ireland’s latest procurement strategy aligns with its Climate Action Plan, linking governance to achieving emissions targets.
Each update generally brings more clarity, higher standards, and better monitoring, which are all facets of stronger governance. One concrete example of improved governance is the push for e-procurement systems that log every step of the process digitally, from initial request to final payment – making it easier to audit trails and detect anomalies. The EU has made electronic procurement (e.g., e-tendering portals) mandatory, which increases transparency (since all communications and bids are documented) and reduces opportunities for off-record dealings.
These systems can also be configured to automatically reject bids that don’t include required ESG documentation, ensuring rules are consistently applied.
In the tech sector, where procurement decisions can have far-reaching implications (from budget impacts to societal outcomes), robust governance is the glue that holds ESG aspirations and practical results together. Ireland, the UK, and France demonstrate that transparency – through open data, clear criteria, and public reporting – builds trust and accountability in procurement. Good governance measures like anti-corruption controls, standardised processes, and integration of ESG into decision-making criteria help ensure that procurement is not only fair and efficient but also forward-looking. By insisting on transparency and ethical conduct, these countries enable their procurement activities to support broader policy goals: environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic resilience.
In essence, governance in procurement is about doing the right thing, the right way. It creates an environment where tech procurement can innovate (e.g., buying remanufactured equipment), can insist on ethical supply chains, and can deliver value without compromise on integrity. As we move into an era of greater corporate and government accountability, the standards set in Ireland, the UK, and France serve as a model, showing how the procurement function can evolve from a back-office process to a strategic lever for ESG impact. Through transparent and accountable procurement practices, technology is procured not just cost-effectively, but also responsibly, ensuring that progress in the digital age aligns with the values of our society.
Sources:
Increase Transparency in Public Procurement (FR0004) – Open Government Partnership
Irish Government signs framework agreement for the purchase of remanufactured laptops – Circular Economy
Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2027 – Irish Government
