This article was updated on 29 January 2026.

Early lessons from the implementation of the CO₂ Performance Ladder in the Netherlands and Belgium were captured in the 2023 Building Blocks. Building on this foundation, SKAO and its country partners reviewed and enriched these insights based on their hands-on experience with rolling out the Ladder over the past three years. The outcome is an updated set of key success factors for effective implementation and scaling, referred to as the 2026 Building Blocks. 

Experience across countries shows that effective implementation begins with a clear understanding of local conditions. In 2023, the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s (IISD) feasibility study across ten European countries assessed and identified opportunities for applying the Ladder, providing a foundation for expansion across several European markets. A key recommendation emerging from this work is therefore to first assess the feasibility of implementing the Ladder, including market interest and the political and policy context for climate and decarbonisation, before adoption. 

As more countries explore climate-friendly procurement instruments, these updated Building Blocks are intended to support informed, realistic and context-specific implementation choices. 

How did the Ladder evolve in the first place?  

Developed in the Netherlands in 2009, the Ladder was initially applied by a single procuring authority in tenders within the Dutch infrastructure sector. Since then, it has evolved into a widely used green public procurement instrument, becoming standard practice in the Netherlands and Belgium and being adopted by hundreds of procuring authorities. At the same time, steady growth is visible in other European markets, with an increasing number of tenders across a broad and expanding range of sectors. For further read see European implementation. 

There is one underlying condition that underpins all other Building Blocks: ensuring adequate capacity and resources across all stakeholders. This is key for the long-term, sustainable implementation of the CO₂ Performance Ladder in a new country. While the instrument itself is relatively easy for procurers to use, implementation in a new country demands upfront support and investment – particularly from national coordinating organisations, procurers, prospective certificate holders, and certification bodies. A national coordinating partner must therefore secure sufficient financial and human resources, along with a continuity plan, until contributions from certified organisations enable a cost-neutral model. This is demonstrated in Belgium, where the government provided a subsidy to the coordinating partner for the duration of the pilot period. 

The 10 Building Blocks below offer practical guidance for organisations and public authorities seeking to adopt and scale the CO₂ Performance Ladder in new contexts. A key strength of the Ladder is its single, consistent standard – the CO₂ Performance Ladder Handbook. This means that the requirements for organisations and projects apply everywhere, regardless of geography, preventing regional fragmentation and enabling cross-border use. This consistency strengthens incentives for organisations to become certified and ensures alignment with international standards and methods. Safeguarding this consistency is therefore essential as the CO₂ Performance Ladder continues to scale internationally.  

Building blocks

1. Procuring authorities

Public authorities initiate and stimulate the decarbonisation of companies through procurement, by using the CO₂ Performance Ladder as an award criterion in their tendering process. Therefore, having at least one public authority committed to implementing the Ladder is a prerequisite. However, the more procuring authorities that actively apply the Ladder within a country or specific sector the stronger the momentum and the clearer the signal to the market. It is highly recommended that procuring authorities communicate their plans to their suppliers about implementing the CO2 Performance Ladder, to give suppliers adequate time to understand and prepare for system implementation.  

2. National coordinating partner

A national coordinating partner for the CO₂ Performance Ladder is an organisation designated to coordinate the implementation of the Ladder within a specific country. The national coordinating partner serves as the primary national contact point for the introduction and rollout of the Ladder, including its adaptation to the national context, while the Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO) remains the system owner and overall international coordinating body of the Ladder. The national coordinating partner operates independently and objectively, maintaining strong networks across both the public and private sectors, including close links with policymakers and relevant authorities. The organisation must have sufficient expertise in public procurement and carbon management, as well as a good understanding of the local language, regulatory environment, and cultural context. The partner’s core tasks and responsibilities include: 

  • Actively engaging and aligning key stakeholders about the benefits of applying the CO₂ Performance Ladder, such as public procurers, businesses, and national, local and regional policymakers. 
  • Building capacity and knowledge about the use of the Ladder in tenders and organisational processes for key stakeholders (public authorities and businesses) and acting as a helpdesk, providing materials and day-to-day guidance.  

3. Legal assessment

The CO₂ Performance Ladder is compatible with the EU Public Procurement Directives. However, given the highly regulated nature of public procurement, procuring authorities may be cautious about adopting new green public procurement instruments. To mitigate implementation risks, it is important to address legal and compliance considerations early and to build confidence among stakeholders. A comprehensive legal assessment of the Ladder’s alignment with national procurement frameworks is therefore strongly recommended. Commissioning this assessment from well-established and respected local legal experts can significantly enhance credibility and foster trust among public authorities, as was done in France and Belgium. The timing of such an assessment – whether undertaken as an initial step or later in the implementation phase – should be carefully considered and based on a deliberate decision.

4. Understanding the Ladder

It is crucial that (future) users of the CO₂ Performance Ladder, primarily the procuring authorities, suppliers, and the certifying bodies, understand the tool and how to use it. This starts with a good understanding of the Ladder by the local coordinating partner. SKAO has developed and published a comprehensive set of resources about how the system works for all parties to make use of. The resources consist of documentation, videos, testimonials, and project cases for each of the different stakeholders, to be found on the website. It is essential to make these materials available and easily accessible for each stakeholder in the local language(s) and to adapt the information so that it reflects the local context (policy priorities, procurement regulations etc.). This foundational understanding is a prerequisite for consistent and confident use of the Ladder by all parties involved.

5. Capacity building and communication

To ensure the successful and sustained implementation of the CO₂ Performance Ladder in a new country context, coordinating partners need to invest in ongoing capacity and knowledge building. This means raising awareness and building capacity through the following types of activities adapted to the local context and in the local language for each category key stakeholder (public authorities, businesses, policy makers, auditors): developing (promotional) materials, guidelines, workshops, training, organising (peer-to-peer) events, communities of practice, one-to-one support. Furthermore, publishing existing examples and case studies for each category of stakeholders builds trust about the wide range of applications of the Ladder.  

6. Multi-stakeholder approach

The CO₂ Performance Ladder is a market-based instrument developed with, and applied by, both procuring authorities and businesses. For successful implementation within a national context, it is highly recommended to work with a multi-stakeholder approach that recognises the distinct and key roles different actors play in the broader ecosystem. These include procuring authorities, policymaking bodies, certification and accreditation organisations, industry associations and companies, as well as research institutions and civil society organisations. 

Timely and proactive engagement of all stakeholder groups is essential. Dedicated coordination or governance structures that bring these actors together can help gather input, build broad-based support, and address both substantive and practical implementation challenges. A key consideration in establishing such structures is ensuring balanced and appropriate representation of the various users of the Ladder. 

7. Political support and policy context

To ensure long-term success and scalability of the Ladder, building strong political and policy support within national governments is important. Without early alignment and endorsement, there is a risk that momentum weakens in later stages, limiting the ability to maintain trust for further scaling the Ladder. For example: if the Ladder is integrated within broader net-zero strategies and GPP policies, and is recognised as a practical instrument to implement these ambitions, this significantly boosts its impact and strengthens governmental ownership. 

8. Sufficient certification bodies

A country or region should have sufficient certification bodies (CBs) able to conduct Ladder assessments. Where capacity is limited, it is strongly advised to inform and engage local CBs well in advance of the first audits. Local CBs are best suited to the national context and can conduct assessments in the local language, which is generally preferred by suppliers.  

9. Leadership

Key figures who champion sustainable procurement and the implementation of the CO2 Performance Ladder both within and outside their organisations are essential players in the development and evolution of the Ladder. In the implementation of the Ladder in new contexts, individual leaders will be required to step up to advocate for and navigate the challenges to green public procurement. These individual leaders understand the need to act now, make impact, see more opportunities than barriers, and have the mandate to create momentum internally and/or externally. 

10. Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation are key to measuring the Ladder’s effectiveness and impact. By systematically tracking how and how often the Ladder is applied, organisations and authorities can gain insights into implementation outcomes, support continuous improvement, and can demonstrate environmental benefits. 

Putting the building blocks into practice 

Together, the building blocks provide a practical reference framework rather than a prescriptive checklist. Their application will always depend on national context, institutional capacity and market maturity, but experience to date shows that addressing these elements systematically significantly increases the likelihood of successful and sustainable implementation. 

Acknowledgements

We are grateful for the in-depth contribution of all our partners in Belgium (BENOR), France (ASEA), Germany (CSCP), Ireland (Irish Green Building Council), Portugal (Aliados), the United Kingdom (Action Sustainability) and the whole SKAO team for their input.