Sustainable contracting

Sustainable contracting, as used in the JARGONFREE Compass, refers to the use of contracts and related documents to support sustainability goals and responsible business practices across companies and supply chains. It involves not only the inclusion of sustainability-related commitments and requirements in contract content, but also attention to how these are structured, communicated, implemented, monitored, and embedded into organisational practice.

In the JARGONFREE Compass, sustainable contracting is approached as an implementation-oriented practice focused on whether sustainability-related contract content is capable of guiding action and supporting implementation in day-to-day work. Approaches may range from inactive or reactive, compliance-oriented practices to more proactive and transformative uses of contracts that support collaboration, implementation, and the achievement of sustainability goals.