Public procurement: a new mandatory environmental criterion
A regulatory change that requires companies to structure their environmental approach to remain eligible and competitive.
As of 22 August 2026, all public procurements will have to incorporate at least one environmental criterion in the evaluation of tenders. In concrete terms, it will no longer be possible to win a market solely on the price, unless it incorporates an environmental dimension, such as an overall cost or life cycle approach.
A result of the Climate and Resilience Act and recently specified by the Council of State, this change marks a clear shift: the environment will no longer be an optional element of differentiation, but a structural requirement.
Above all, the criteria must be directly linked to the subject matter of the contract. It will no longer be necessary to post a general CSR policy, but to demonstrate measurable impacts: carbon footprint of a product or service, choice of materials, energy performance, transport organisation, waste management or traceability suppliers. All sectors are concerned.
This change introduces a new factor of competitiveness. At an equivalent price, the company capable of providing reliable, structured and comparable environmental data will benefit. The ability to produce documented information becomes a tangible business asset.
Transport, logistics, industry and international trade companies are particularly exposed, as their environmental performance depends largely on their value chain: choice of suppliers, modes of transport, sourcing of raw materials, organization of flows. However, many have undertaken CSR actions without actually formalizing them. They act, but they struggle to prove it. In a public tender, the lack of quantified evidence or clear methodology can now lead to the loss of points... and a deal.
Moreover, the impact exceeds the public sector alone. Even companies that do not respond directly to public procurement will have to adapt to remain eligible in the value chain of order providers themselves subject to these requirements. The ability to document its environmental footprint thus becomes a competitive factor across the supply chain.
To go further, we offer an exchange with a CSR expert to identify the three priority actions for your approach. To benefit, fill in our CSR maturity test (5 minutes).