Unlocking Sustainable Outcomes Through Procurement
Thank you for joining us for this webinar — one of the most practical and insight-rich sessions we have hosted this year. Whether you attended live or are catching up now, we are pleased to share the recording along with a summary of the key discussions, highlights from our recently launched Sustainable Procurement Thought Leadership paper, and details of an upcoming masterclass you won’t want to miss.
Watch the recording here
Access presentation slides here
What We Covered
Procurement is one of the most powerful levers the government has to drive sustainability outcomes — spanning carbon reduction, circularity, nature, social value and supply chain capability. This webinar brought our Sustainable Procurement Thought Leadership paper to life through real-world case studies and candid practitioner insights.
Session highlights included:
- Scene setting by Bec Timmings (ConnellGriffin) on procurement as a strategic enabler, exploring how sustainability can be embedded into business cases, delivery strategies and early market conversations — well before a tender is released.
- Lessons from the transaction front line from Richard Martin (ConnellGriffin), drawing on major infrastructure programs across Australia. Richard unpacked outcome-based tendering, sustainability-weighted criteria, and how to connect policy intent to commercial structures that actually encourage innovation and better performance.
- The supplier perspective from David Bell (InfraBuild), illustrating how procurement signals from clients drive real investment decisions in areas like low-carbon steel, environmental product declarations (EPDs), material circularity indicators, and collaborative continuous improvement.
- A live panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Dr Shailja Chandra (ISC), exploring market readiness, consistency across agencies, and the practical steps the ecosystem can take to strengthen sustainable procurement practices.
Key Takeaways
The session reinforced several core principles from our Sustainable Procurement Thought Leadership paper:
- Early planning and market signalling matter. Sustainability expectations set at the outset — in business cases and delivery strategies — shape market behaviour long before a tender is released.
- Commercial frameworks need to encourage creativity. Outcome-based approaches and well-weighted criteria give suppliers the confidence to innovate rather than simply comply.
- Clarity and consistency build supplier capability. When clients are clear and consistent in their expectations, suppliers — especially small and medium enterprises — can invest with confidence and deliver better outcomes.
- Transparency tools are available and ready to use. Mechanisms such as EPDs, the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI), and the Responsible Steel Association Scheme (SSA) provide credible, verifiable data that procurement teams can integrate today.
Sustainable Procurement Thought Leadership Paper
This webinar was developed in partnership with ConnellGriffin to bring our recently launched Sustainable Procurement Thought Leadership paper to life. The paper offers a comprehensive framework for embedding sustainability across the full procurement lifecycle — from early planning through to contract performance and supplier engagement.
Download the thought leadership paper here
Upcoming Masterclass: Take It Further
- Explain the strategic role of procurement in sustainable infrastructure delivery
- Identify the key drivers and barriers
- Distinguish between transactional and strategic procurement approaches
- Recognise where procurement decisions have the greatest influence on sustainability outcomes
- Identify practical opportunities to embed sustainability into the procurement lifecycle
- Understand the role of frameworks and tools
- Apply sustainable procurement principles to real infrastructure scenarios
- Recognise emerging trends shaping the future of sustainable procurement.
Register for the masterclass here