Winterthur introduces new guidelines for sustainable procurement
The city of Winterthur is changing its public procurement rules as of 1 July 2026. These rules are binding for all municipal departments for contracts worth CHF 50,000 or more and are intended to have a positive impact on the climate and the environment.
New guidelines for the procurement of goods and services will apply in Winterthur from 1 July 2026. As the city states in a press release, in addition to legal requirements and existing social and economic principles, ecological and social criteria will be given significant weight in future purchases of CHF 50,000 or more in all municipal departments. These criteria are to be “reviewed as concretely and comprehensively as possible” on the basis of 13 categories.
In concrete terms, this means that decisions on which procurements are awarded will be made based on their impact on the climate, energy efficiency, resource conservation, pollutant avoidance and the circular economy. The reason for this is the energy and climate concept of the 2022 legislative period.
The procurement of goods and services in particular has a significant impact on the carbon footprint. This means that negative effects on the climate and environment can be reduced particularly significantly in this sector.
The city expects the anticipated positive effects on climate and resource protection to also increase its economic efficiency in the long term. With a volume of CHF 400 million in 2024, Winterthur is “one of the most important regional clients for the private sector” in terms of procurement.
The shift from suitability and award criteria to life cycle costs, quality and durability creates greater commitment and transparency. “In this way, we are making an important contribution to achieving climate targets and promoting a sustainable economy,” says Katrin Cometta, city councillor and head of the Department of Security and Environment.