Understanding a vendor's operating behavior with respect to environmental record, ethics, fair labor practices and other key attributes of social responsibility should be integrated into the procurement process throughout all government agencies.
The externalization of business costs to society is a hidden tax on all members of society. Federal government can take a lead role in addressing a major shortcoming in the market economy -understand true costs of goods and services. This will reward companies that are evolving to mitigate their environmental impact, treat their workers and other stakeholders well, operate to a high ethical standard and exhibit other behaviors that should be commonplace in the business community.
Comments (2)
First step. The President just signed the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 (S. 454) into law in the Rose Garden today!
This is huge. I am a big fan of World Index of Social and Environmental Responsibility (WISER), Naomi Klein's No Logo and Shock Capaitalism, and the whole idea of true cost being available to anyone at the point of sale--4000 liters of water, 10 gallons of gas, 100 hours of sweatshop labor, $100 million in tax avoidance by the seller--what a difference this would make.
Howard Bloom has a new book coming out on moral capitalism and I have reviewed books by many on responsible capitalism--We the People have abdicated our role as informed citizens and informed consumers.
See Open Source Agency for an implementation idea that would absolutely honor and implement your idea.