The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation has revealed that it is piloting a green procurement framework in major public contractual agreements.

The move is aimed at ensuring that local suppliers meet Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) thresholds and promote a green economy.

Delivering an address on behalf of the ministry at the maiden Global ESG and Sustainability Reporting Summit, acting Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Prof. Nana Ama Brown Klutse, explained that this contributes towards efforts of enforcing sustainable standards.

“We will pilot green procurement criteria in major public spends in infrastructure, buildings, waste, utilities rewarding local suppliers who meet credible ESG thresholds and stimulating domestic green industries,” she stated.

Prof. Klutse emphasized that the state must lead by example through procurement choices that reward sustainability-minded suppliers and stimulate local green industries.

She further stressed the importance of coordination across government to drive effective change.

“We will engage peer ministries: Energy & Green Transition; Finance, Trade Agribusiness & Industry, Lands & Natural Resources; Employment & Labour Relations, along with the National Development Planning Committee (NDPC), EPA, Energy Commission, and key regulators to align efforts and avoid duplication,” Prof. Klutse said.

To ensure credibility and practicality in sustainability reporting, the EPA boss called for broad collaboration among regulators, business associations, academia, and assurance providers.

“Convene regulators, business associations, academia, and assurance providers to define priority indicators, data templates, and evidence standards, aligned with international norms yet practical for Ghanaian firms and MSMEs,” she noted.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of TSL Sustainability Limited, Dr. Ing. Shelter Lotsu, called on government to ensure strict enforcement of ESG standards as well as sustainability reporting for all companies operating in Ghana.