What is the Ladder

The CO₂ Performance Ladder leads to accelerated decarbonisation and innovation thanks to the power of procurement. Research shows that organisations using the Ladder reduce their carbon emissions twice as fast as non-certified organisations and that it leads to institutionalisation of carbon reduction and awareness and behavioural changes, as shown by research conducted by CE Delft and the University of Utrecht. The CO₂ Performance Ladder is recognised as a best practice by the OECD, IPCC and the World Economic Forum.

With 15 years of implementation, the CO₂ Performance Ladder is the standard Green Public Procurement (GPP) tool in the Netherlands and Belgium, and has proven its effectiveness. Over 300 public procuring authorities use the Ladder as a GPP tool, and around 8000 organisations are covered by a CO₂ Performance Ladder certificate. 75% of certificate holders are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). During the 15 year history of the CO₂ Performance Ladder many useful resources and experiences have been developed, which can easily be adapted and reapplied.

The CO₂ Performance Ladder is user-friendly, with low transaction costs to get started for organisations looking to get certified. Documents like the practical guide and articles highlighting certificate holders give insight into the process and possibilities. SKAO and partners provide a helpdesk for current and future certificate holders. Implementing the Ladder is easy for contracting authorities as they only need to check the certificate, once the building blocks for a pilot have been established. Third party certification lowers the burden on procurement authorities to verify claims. Documents like the procurement guide with accessible steps to start purchasing with the CO₂ Performance Ladder, project cases and model clauses (in Belgium) further facilitate implementation for procuring authorities.

The impact of market initiatives started by certified companies to meet collaboration requirements included in the CO₂ Performance Ladder Handbook, and the impact of certified companies on their supply chain partners accelerates reductions, increasing impact. For instance, the Ladder requires organisations certified at levels 4 and 5 to engage with their supply chain to develop additional CO₂ reduction measures in their sector.

One certificate can be used for all tenders for all contracting authorities using the Ladder in their procurement. Whether local, regional, national or international.

The CO₂ Performance Ladder is immediately applicable in other EU countries due to its compliance with the 2014 EU Procurement Directive.

The Ladder helps strengthen businesses’ green business case, by granting them an award advantage in tenders based on their CO₂ reduction ambition. This fictitious discount or points bonus, in combination with the cost savings that are achieved through increased efficiency, more than cover the costs of certification, and motivate organisations to start structurally reducing their carbon emissions.

Independent third party certification lowers the burden on procurement authorities to verify that companies comply to their requirements. Certifying institutions are required to be accredited by the relevant accreditation body.

Having a CO₂ Performance Ladder certificate reinforces companies’ position in the market as sustainable suppliers, and helps to improve their products and services. The Ladder stimulates and rewards organisations through giving them a competitive advantage.

Since both private and public parties, along with academic experts and non-governmental environmental organisations are involved in the management and development of the CO₂ Performance Ladder in the Netherlands and Belgium, all organisations have a stake in the instrument and feel ownership over it. This collaborative model helps to ensure the instrument is widely supported, therefore increasing its impact.