DIGITALDEVELOP A NEW JOINT CURRICULUM FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TO COVER THE NEEDS OF THE FURNITURE SECTOR ON GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY FACILITATOR
1 AMUEBLA - Cluster Habitat of Murcia Region (SPAIN)
2 University of Zaragoza (SPAIN)
3 CETEM - Technological Centre of Furniture and Wood (SPAIN)
2 University of Zaragoza (SPAIN)
3 CETEM - Technological Centre of Furniture and Wood (SPAIN)
About this paper:
Appears in: ICERI2020 Proceedings
Publication year: 2020
Pages: 8808-8816
ISBN: 978-84-09-24232-0
ISSN: 2340-1095
doi: 10.21125/iceri.2020.1950
Publication year: 2020
Pages: 8808-8816
ISBN: 978-84-09-24232-0
ISSN: 2340-1095
doi: 10.21125/iceri.2020.1950
Conference name: 13th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation
Dates: 9-10 November, 2020
Location: Online Conference
Dates: 9-10 November, 2020
Location: Online Conference
Abstract:
Green Public Procurement (GPP) is defined as a process whereby public authorities seek to procure goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact, highlighted as a key instrument for the necessary circular economy transition in the New Circular Economy Action Plan launched by the European Commission (COM/2020/98 final).Nevertheless, just 12% of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) have participated in public procurement tenders that included environmental requirements at the European Union (EU), as SMEs consider the process to be too complicated (20%) and too much paperwork (16%).
At the same time, the European furniture sector is considered a key driver of sustainable growth with a significant contribution to European‘s overall economic health, competitiveness, creativity, innovation, employment and export. It provides more than 1 million jobs to the European economy, with a turnover of €90 billion, being a traditional and dynamic sector dominated by SMEs.
For that reason, this work identified the knowledge gaps related to GPP and public procurement in general in the European furniture sector with the final objective of developing an innovative Joint Curriculum that covers the industry necessities on this topic. Firstly, we carried out an in-depth analysis on the furniture sector needs through a survey to SMEs. Secondly, these results were transferred to a list of learning outcomes and finally into a complete Joint Curriculum.
The result of this study shows the importance of bringing a new training resource to furniture SMEs with a clear scope on three main topics: general aspects of public procurement tenders and its process, an introduction to green public procurement, and information about technologies and instruments to be implemented in their companies and fulfil the new green requirements of public tenders.
This work confirms the high interest of the European furniture industry to increase its participation in green public procurement tenders, as a way to expand its market and competitiveness, and how GPP could act as a facilitator of a circular economy transition.