Procure. Decarbonise. Make impact.

As a contracting authority, you can drive sustainability by integrating the CO₂ Performance Ladder into your tenders. This encourages contractors to actively reduce their carbon footprint. By offering certified companies an award advantage, you ensure you’re partnering with businesses committed to long-term CO₂ reduction. It’s a powerful way to low-carbon procurement and foster greener partnerships.

Procurement Guide 3.1

Best practice

Internationally recognised as a GPP best practice.

Trusted

Trusted by 300+ authorities for green procurement.

Easy to implement

Shift the burden of proof with third-party verification.

Compliant

Compliant with European procurement law

5 steps for Including the Ladder in tenders

FAQ

1. Integrate into Policy

Add CO₂ reduction to your policy framework, and assess each tender to see if using the CO₂ Performance Ladder is beneficial.

2. Prepare Tender Documents

Include the CO₂ Performance Ladder criteria and set the award advantage amount.

3. Award Advantage

Provide bidders with an award advantage matching their ambition level and select the best Price-Quality Ratio offer.

4. Project Execution

Ensure the contractor operates at the agreed ambition level and keeps a project file.

5. Verify Ambition Level

Obtain certification from an external body to confirm that the contractor meets the agreed ambition level.

How does procurement with the Ladder work exactly?

procurement

How do you convince your organisation to start using the Ladder in tenders?

Using the CO2 Performance Ladder in procurement is a relatively simple and effective way to reduce CO2 emissions from projects. In this blog, we provide five tips that will help you demonstrate the added value of the CO2 Performance Ladder to your colleagues, managers and/or directors and communicate it convincingly.

5 tips
procurement

Harness the power of procurement

Do you want to start using the CO₂ Performance Ladder as a procurement instrument? Download Procurement Guide 3.1 or view our advice on tendering with Ladder 4.0.

Procurement Guide 3.1 Transition to 4.0
Who is climbing the Ladder

Who is already climbing the Ladder?

More than 8,000 organisations already have a CO₂ Performance Ladder certificate and more than 300 contracting authorities use the CO₂ Performance Ladder in tenders.

View participants

Blogs

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  • News

European Commission and SKAO launch Community of Practice

Today (25 March 2025), SKAO and the European Commission launched the CO₂ Performance Ladder Europe Community of Practice (CoP) on the EC’s Public Buyers Platform. This CoP will help public buyers integrate the CO₂ Performance Ladder into their procurement strategies, setting clear targets and embedding structural CO₂‑reduction measures. The CoP…

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  • Blog

Tendering with the CO₂ Performance Ladder: in line with EU procurement law

When issuing a public tender in the EU, you must comply with the requirements of European procurement law. Using the CO2 Performance Ladder as an award criterion to determine the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) on the basis of the best price-quality is in line with this legislation, provided you…

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