Motiva Oy has released new sustainability criteria for software procurement. These criteria are now available on the Kriteeripankki.fi platform, which provides public procurers with sustainability criteria for various procurements. The new criteria for software procurement were developed through extensive Nordic market dialogue, incorporating feedback from stakeholders. The criteria have also been published in English, making them easier to apply in an international context.
Background and objectives of the collaboration project
The development of these criteria is part of the project “Metrics for Green Digitalization in Public ICT Procurement” (MitViDi), coordinated by the University of Turku. Other participants include LUT University, the Finnish Information Society Development Centre (TIEKE), Turku Science Park, and Turku University of Applied Sciences. The MitViDi project aims to promote responsible ICT procurement and support the goals of green digitalization.
Tuomas Mäkilä, assistant professor at the University of Turku and project coordinator, describes the development of the criteria as an important step towards more sustainable public procurement. “It was great that through Motiva, we had the opportunity to share information about the criteria development done in Finland with procurement organizations in other Nordic countries and receive feedback through a joint Nordic market dialogue,” Mäkilä said. He also emphasizes that the criteria are now widely available and will benefit both software procurers and ICT companies. Nature, of course, will benefit too.
Software and climate change
Software has a significant environmental impact. Digital solutions can reduce energy consumption and emissions in various systems, but at the same time, the ICT sector accounts for up to 4–10% of global CO2 emissions. These emissions arise primarily from the production and use of devices, as well as from the energy consumption of networks and data centers. However, software design can significantly influence these emissions.
Increasing software performance requirements shorten the lifespan of devices, leading to faster equipment turnover and higher emissions from production. The new sustainability criteria aim specifically to promote software functionality on older devices and reduce data transmission needs, which helps lower the energy consumption of both networks and data centers. This, in turn, helps reduce the overall emissions of the ICT sector.
Laura Partanen, doctoral researcher at LUT University, highlights the importance of good software design. “Good software is also user-friendly and saves the user time. The longer we spend with a piece of software, the more energy we consume,” she says, calling for greater attention to digital consumption as part of sustainable development.
Criteria in public procurement
The new criteria focus particularly on minimizing software energy use and achieving emission reductions. They are voluntary, and procurers can select the criteria that best suit their priorities from the Kriteeripankki.fi platform. Suvi Sippola, Motiva’s leading expert on sustainable public procurement, reminds that since there is little experience with these criteria, their applicability should be verified through requests for information or market dialogue. This ensures that the requirements are meaningful for the procurement in question and that enough offers are received.
The Nordic market dialogue revealed that similar criteria development efforts have not been underway in other Nordic countries, reinforcing Finland’s position as a pioneer in green coding. Antti Sipilä, project manager at TIEKE and leader of the national Green ICT network, hopes that the published criteria will serve as an inspiration beyond Finland and create demand for Finnish expertise.
Ongoing development
The publication of the criteria is not the final endpoint but part of continuous development. Based on feedback, the criteria will be further refined in future projects. Mäkilä mentions that a scientific publication on the operational model for building the criteria and a follow-up project for the MitViDi initiative are currently in the works. Future goals include supplementing the criteria and supporting procurers in their implementation.
The published criteria are expected to promote responsibility in the ICT sector and provide concrete tools for reducing climate emissions. “The work doesn’t stop here,” Mäkilä concludes, emphasizing the importance of ongoing development as part of the green transition.
Significance of sustainability criteria for software procurement
Sustainability criteria in software procurement are increasingly important, as digital solutions play a central role in maintaining and developing both public services and business operations. The criteria provide concrete tools for reducing climate and environmental impacts, which is particularly crucial now that the ICT sector is responsible for a significant portion of global carbon dioxide emissions. Software directly affects the lifespan of devices, energy consumption, and data transmission needs, and well-designed, responsible software can significantly reduce the energy demand of data centers and network connections. This is important because much of the ICT sector’s emissions come from the production and use of devices, and extending the lifecycle of older devices helps reduce the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing.
Sustainability criteria guide software procurers and developers, encouraging them to design and select solutions that consume minimal energy and support sustainable development. They also help public procurers and companies consider environmental impacts in competitive bidding processes, creating pressure on ICT companies to develop more environmentally friendly products and services. With sustainability criteria, procurers can choose software that works efficiently on older devices and slows down the pace of device turnover. This saves natural resources and reduces waste since a significant portion of devices’ environmental impact is related to the manufacturing phase.
Sustainability criteria for software procurement also support the broader transition to green digitalization. When responsible procurement criteria are integrated into public tenders, they send a strong signal to industry players that sustainability is no longer optional but an essential part of future business. This can foster new innovation and development as companies strive to meet the growing demand for more sustainable solutions. Thus, sustainability criteria not only provide tools for reducing emissions but also create opportunities to promote sustainable technological development, benefiting users, the environment, and businesses alike. Continuous development and updates ensure that the criteria keep pace with the ever-evolving technology and climate landscape.
How to apply sustainability criteria in practice?
The practical application of sustainability criteria begins at the early stages of the procurement process when organizations assess their needs and set goals that support sustainable development principles. This means that when planning software procurement, sustainability criteria are integrated into the tender documents and requests for proposals early on. The criteria may particularly emphasize energy efficiency, compatibility with older devices, and minimal data transfer requirements, ensuring that software design supports both environmental and user well-being. Applying sustainability criteria also requires organizations to collaborate with software providers to ensure that the offered software meets the defined sustainability criteria.
One key way to apply the criteria is through market dialogue. This stage involves preliminary discussions with software providers before the formal tender process begins. The purpose of market dialogue is to ensure that the sustainability requirements set for the procurement are realistic and align with the solutions available in the market. This stage is especially important when introducing new criteria, as experience with practical application is still limited. This way, procuring organizations can gather valuable information on which sustainability criteria are applicable in practice and which may require further development or clarification.
Once the sustainability criteria are defined and market dialogue has taken place, procurers can select the criteria that best meet their needs to include in their request for proposals. The application of criteria in practice can vary depending on the size and nature of the procurements: in smaller procurements, energy efficiency may be prioritized, while larger and more complex procurements may consider multiple aspects of sustainability, such as compatibility across devices and optimized energy consumption for data processing. When making procurement decisions, sustainability criteria influence the types of offers organizations receive and how the sustainability of those offers is evaluated.
It is also important to collect feedback from both suppliers and procurers on the use of the criteria in practice so that they can be refined and developed further in the future. This ongoing interaction and feedback system help ensure that the sustainability criteria are not just theoretical guidelines but have a tangible impact on the environmental friendliness and sustainability of procurements. Therefore, the practical application of sustainability criteria requires collaboration, continuous development, and consideration of market readiness. However, when implemented correctly, they provide an effective tool for achieving more sustainable and responsible software procurement.
