Procurement as a Force for Change
Public procurement is one of the most powerful yet underused tools local governments have to shape healthier, more sustainable communities. As the SchoolFood4Change (SF4C) project shows, finding innovative and sustainable ways of procuring school food can have an especially great impact. The City of Ghent (Belgium), having benefited from SF4C’s approach saw an opportunity to go beyond schools and use procurement to spark broader change across the public sector.
While the SchoolFood4Change project introduced strong principles, like promoting healthy nutrition, supporting the protein shift, reducing climate impact, and increasing organic food: these ideas remained mostly within school systems. Ghent wanted to ensure that the knowledge and momentum built through SF4C didn’t stop at the school gate or city border.
Bringing Procurement Officers Together
The city’s solution was to organise a working group for procurement officers from across Flanders. The group brought together professionals from various public institutions: cities, care facilities, and other public bodies, to share insights, align strategies, and explore how SF4C principles could be embedded in broader procurement practices.
The working group served as a platform to:
- Disseminate best practices and real-life examples.
- Build capacity among procurement professionals.
- Encourage intercity and interorganizational collaboration.
- Create a ripple effect that extended the project’s impact far beyond Ghent.
Results: Confidence, Collaboration, and New Suppliers
The results have been promising. Participants reported increased confidence in applying sustainable criteria, discovered new suppliers and approaches, and began aligning their procurement policies with shared values on health, sustainability, and local food systems.
A Simple Model Any City Can Replicate
This model is simple, scalable, and cost-effective. It doesn’t require major investments, just coordination, openness, and a shared commitment to doing better with the tools we already have. By leveraging procurement as a strategic lever, cities can lead by example and accelerate the transition to healthier, more sustainable food systems. Other cities wanting to replicate this approach should start small, bring people together, and let the ripple effect do the rest!
If you want to know more about how to engage in innovative school food procurement practices in your city, have a look at our Procurement Handbook!