Effective cooperation is key to successful circular IT procurement

Circularity is an enjoyable and exciting field because it demands a strong focus on our own consumption behaviors. So says Ulrika Svallingson, sustainability coordinator at Malmö City Council in southern Sweden. The city is aiming to be climate neutral by 2030 and has already worked with circular management of IT products for 10 years.

Ulrika started working at Malmö City Council’s procurement unit just over two years ago. She was appointed to the newly-created position of sustainability coordinator for social responsibility, which was introduced because the municipality wanted to get a comprehensive grasp of the social aspects of procurement and purchasing.

Malmö City Council has ambitious sustainability goals. Two years ago, the council decided that the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals should be reflected in local targets and form an integral part of local budget processes. The municipality works with Fairtrade City and participates in several local, national, and international networks related to sustainable development and the environment, including the EU’s Circular Public Procurement initiative that has participants from Sweden, Finland, Poland, Russia, Latvia, Denmark and the Netherlands.