Corporate Responsible Procurement: How the Construction Industry Is Taking Action

Key points to learn in this article

• La filière fournisseurs concentre 60 à 90 % du bilan GES des acteurs du BTP — c’est là que se joue la décarbonation réelle. C’est aussi le premier poste à analyser dans le bilan carbone d’un projet de construction.
• Incorporating climate and ESG criteria into procurement decisions improves competitiveness in public procurement.
• Climate Act 2026, CSRD, MACF: An auditable GHG score will become mandatory in public consultations.
• Getting partners on board with a low-carbon path is the only realistic way to achieve credible reductions.
• Decarbo’Solution® supports construction industry stakeholders through this transformation, from GHG assessments to Scope 3 management.

Definition and Challenges

This practical guide is intended for professionals in the construction industry who wish to develop a procurement policy aligned with their climate commitments. Responsible corporate procurement involves incorporating climate, social, and governance criteria into all procurement decisions. The goal is to move beyond a simple price-quality approach when selecting supplies, services, and partners that align with the organization’s commitments.

This strategy transforms procurement policy into a driver of sustainable development. It covers the entire supply chain: third-party selection, contractual relationships, performance evaluation, and end-of-life management of the materials used.

Several types of stakeholders are involved: from small and medium-sized enterprises to large construction conglomerates, each has tools tailored to its size and business model. A responsible sourcing policy is based on measurable indicators, a common charter shared with industrial partners, and rigorous monitoring of contractual relationships over the long term.

The growth of these practices is being driven by three main pressures: regulatory, commercial, and reputational. Institutional clients are increasingly incorporating ESG labels and indicators into their selection criteria, and companies that fail to formalize their CSR approach are gradually losing strategic markets.

The Construction Industry and Its Emissions

The sector accounts for approximately 25% of France’s national CO2 emissions. However, the majority of these emissions do not come from direct operations—they come from the supply chain. Steel, concrete, aluminum, cement, construction site logistics, and specialized subcontractors: these categories make up the bulk of Scope 3 emissions.

Without collecting data directly from partners, the margin of error in environmental data often exceeds ±50%. The risks are climatic, regulatory, and economic. The environmental impacts on reputation and competitiveness are just as tangible as the financial constraints—poor management of a company’s GHG footprint can result in MACF penalties or exclusion from public consultations.

Regulatory pressure makes action urgent:

Climate and Resilience Act (August 2026) — All public procurement contracts will include a measurable environmental factor. An auditable GHG score will become a direct competitive differentiator, accounting for up to 30% of the final score in certain procurement processes.

CSRD — This European standard requires companies to document emissions across the entire supply chain, including upstream third parties. Self-reported data without traceability will no longer be accepted. Sustainability reporting is becoming a performance-based requirement.

MACF — This mechanism applies to importers of steel, aluminum, and cement. Without proof of the actual carbon footprint of these materials, the organization risks penalties based on punitive default values. Current practices show that many companies are not yet ready.

The Three Pillars of Commitment

A serious commitment does not begin with the drafting of a generic charter. It starts with an analysis of the specific challenges and takes shape gradually with the participation of partner companies and operational teams.

Map and Prioritize

For a player in the construction industry, three areas are always top priorities: carbon-intensive materials, construction site logistics, and specialized subcontracting. This mapping forms the foundation of the approach—without it, the defined criteria remain arbitrary and difficult to justify to clients. The ADEME guides provide sector-specific support for conducting this initial assessment.

⚠️Warning —Many organizations have conducted a GHG inventory (BEGES), but few use it as a management tool. Without data collected directly from third parties, it is impossible to identify the lowest-emission solutions or to seriously respond to a request for proposals that includes a climate component.

Incorporating ESG Factors into Sourcing

CSR should not remain a process separate from procurement. It is integrated into existing practices by defining measurable indicators: product footprint, life-cycle energy performance, and service providers’ energy consumption. Systematically evaluating these criteria helps build a more robust procurement process capable of meeting contractors’ requirements. Social issues—working conditions, accessibility for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the inclusion of artisans—are now an integral part of ESG frameworks.

Engaging Partners for the Long Term

The great diversity of the construction industry ecosystem (tradespeople, small and medium-sized businesses, manufacturers, wholesalers) calls for an educational approach. Providing practical guides, training subcontractors to measure their carbon footprint, and supporting them in developing action plans: this is the logic behind Positive CarbonDiscrimination®, a method developed byDecarbo’Solution® that transforms climate requirements into development opportunities for each partner. This approach strengthens long-term relationships and establishes sustainable commitments between the organization and its third-party partners.

Energy Efficiency and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy

The low-carbon transition is not merely a constraint. Promoting supplies made from recycled materials, low-emission solutions, local supply chains, and service providers committed to energy efficiency are all strategies that simultaneously improve an organization’s carbon footprint and resilience. These practices are part of a circular economy approach that reduces costs and environmental impacts over the long term.

Energy is a key factor in this discussion. The use of renewable energy sources, the optimization of energy consumption on construction sites, and the selection of partners committed to the energy transition all contribute to a structurally more favorable GHG footprint. Sustainable procurement represents a profitable investment, not just an ethical commitment to society.

Did you know? The construction industry generates about 70% of the waste produced in France (source: ADEME). By incorporating recyclability and resource efficiency metrics into its sourcing process, an organization can significantly reduce this environmental impact and improve its regulatory compliance. Sustainable procurement and the circular economy are deeply intertwined in this sector.

Operational Deployment

Step 1 — Diagnose

The organization assesses its level of maturity: What GHG data is available on its partners? Which procurement processes already incorporate low-carbon criteria? This assessment also helps identify the most accessible opportunities for reduction and map suppliers by level of ESG commitment.

Step 2 — Formalize

This framework specifies quantified targets, procedures for managing variances, the responsibilities of each team, and monitoring indicators. The commitments made are translated into concrete contractual provisions, which are shared with internal clients and industry partners. A formalized supplier charter ensures that procurement practices align with the organization’s sustainable development goals.

Did you know? Since 2021, Bordeaux Métropole has included a GHG score that accounts for 25% of the weighting in its public procurement contracts. The construction companies selected are those that have established a climate footprint assessment. This model will be implemented across the board starting in August 2026.

Step 3 — Recruit and Support

Collecting reliable data from third parties at varying stages of maturity requires a dedicated tool. Decarbo’Supply® simplifies this process: a free portal, cascading enrollment, automated reminders, and support through the Decarbo’Academy. The impact is immediate: Scope 3 uncertainty drops from ±50% to ±5% within the first few weeks (as seen with Schmidt Groupe). Advisory support is provided to any partner facing difficulties.

Step 4 — Incorporate into consultations

Decarbo’Tender® produces a comparable and auditable scoring system. A carbon performance label is automatically generated for each evaluated third party, making it easier to compare solutions and enhancing transparency for contracting authorities. This provides internal clients with a solid foundation for their bids on 2026 public procurement contracts.

Step 5 — Monitor and Make Progress

Decarbo’Commit® transforms third-party disclosures into a structured Scope 3 management framework. The accountability of each stakeholder and the tracking of objectives become auditable. Social and environmental impacts are tracked in parallel, ensuring comprehensive and consistent CSRD reporting.

Standards and Certifications

Mastering the major standards helps establish the credibility of the approach among stakeholders. Three ISO standards form the foundation of this field: ISO 20400 (responsible sourcing), ISO 14001 (environmental management), and ISO 14067 (carbon footprint of supplies and life-cycle energy balance). These standards provide the technical framework for objectively assessing GHG data and rigorously evaluating suppliers.

ObsAR Label — Each year, ObsAR publishes a maturity survey on low-carbon sourcing methods. Decarbo’Solution® is listed among the most comprehensive solutions on the market. This label is a benchmark recognized by procurement departments and contracting entities.

ADEME Guides — Sector-specific guides support organizations in their efforts by addressing the unique characteristics of the construction industry and compliance issues. These documents help organizations set appropriate goals and structure their relationships with industry partners.

Digital Tools and Management

Without the right tool, collecting data from dozens or hundreds of third parties remains unmanageable. Specialized digital solutions likeDecarbo’Solution® ensure traceability and auditability—something that spreadsheets or general-purpose tools cannot provide. They also play a key role in structuring sourcing teams by guiding priorities and facilitating decisions between service providers based on comparable carbon data.

 Caution — An AI-generated GHG estimate remains highly dependent on the assumptions used. It does not offer the level of robustness expected in the context of CSRD compliance or MACF taxation. The data must be rigorously structured, with supporting documentation attached and a genuine capacity for external audit.

The Decarbo’Solution® suite covers the entire cycle:

🌿 Decarbo’Supply® — Collection of PCFs, reduction of Scope 3 uncertainty from ±50% to ±5% (Schmidt Groupe case).

📊 Decarbo’Tender® — Comparable scoring in consultations, carbon performance label, compliance with 2026 public procurement requirements.

♻️ Decarbo’Commit® — Structured management, CSRD reporting, SBTi alignment.

🏗️ Decarbo’Target® — Modeling reduction trajectories and balancing Capex and OpEx.

Conclusion®

Responsible procurement is no longer an option for players in the construction industry. Regulations, public consultations, and social responsibility all point to the same reality: companies that are structuring their low-carbon sourcing strategies today are gaining a decisive advantage.

What makes the difference is the quality of the data. An inaccurate GHG inventory is nothing more than a snapshot in time. Commitments without auditable metrics remain mere declarations. Decarbo’Solution® supports organizations in the sector through this transformation, from the initial inventory to the operational management of Scope 3 emissions from suppliers.

Would you like to establish a framework for your company’s responsible procurement before August 2026? Request a demo → Request a personalized demo from the Decarbo’Solution® team