Professor Sue Arrowsmith keynote speaker for World Bank event on sustainable public procurement

On 30th March 2021 Professor Sue Arrowsmith  gave the keynote address at a webinar of more than 150 World Bank staff devoted to the topic of sustainable procurement and its place in the World Bank procurement system. Professor Arrowsmith’s presentation highlighted the often-overlooked costs of such policies as well as the undeniable benefits of some of these policies and focused on the need for a careful cost-benefit analysis, choice of the optimum approach, and the importance of evaluation.  These themes were illustrated by reference to the specific area of promoting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. 

Among the other papers, speakers presented interesting examples of the practical operation of social and environmental policies around the world. The presentations were followed by discussion on the cost-benefit theme, including some interesting insights on how the World Bank context limits the tools available for World Bank to promote social and environmental development.