Integrating Responsible Business Conduct in Public Procurement

Japan

1. Policy

• The Act on Promotion of Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services by the State and Other Entities refers to environmental considerations.

• Regarding Gender considerations, the Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace promotes work-life balance. In tender evaluations, companies that have certain certifications related to good work-life-balance receive additional points. The certifications relate to women’s career advancement (“Eruboshi” certification), childcare possibilities (“Kurumin” and “Platinum Kurumin” certifications) and youth employment (“Youth Yell” certification).

2. Implementation

Tender phase

• During the evaluation process, those corporations that have the work-life balance certifications receive additional points.

3. Good Practices

• The Ministry of the Japanese State has developed Green Purchasing Guidelines to reduce the environmental impact in all areas of government, and to raise awareness of contracting authorities that make green purchases.

• The implementation of the Guidelines for the Use of Public Procurement and Subsidies for the Promotion of Women's Careers in March 2018 has improved the efficiency of Japan’s public procurement operations. The guidelines give information on securing and establishing a diverse workforce, including women, to improve its planning capabilities and to respond to market changes.