CO₂PL PortugalDecarbonisation through sustainable public procurement

Aliados is the official manager of the CO₂ Performance Ladder in Portugal, the first and only entity in the country responsible for introducing, disseminating, and implementing this carbon management tool in the public value chain.

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What is the CO₂ Performance Ladder?

The CO₂ Performance Ladder is a European carbon management tool developed in the Netherlands that enables organisations to:

Measure your carbon footprint throughout the value chain
Implement structured reductions through five levels of certification (1 to 5)
Demonstrate climate commitment in a verifiable and comparable way
Gain competitive advantage in public tenders that value environmental criteria

CO₂PL certification is recognised in public procurement processes in several European countries, allowing contracting authorities to reward suppliers with proven carbon management.

Contratação pública como motor da descarbonização

Portugal has committed to carbon neutrality by 2050. Public procurement accounts for around 10% of national GDP and is a strategic lever for accelerating the climate transition.

The introduction of CO₂PL in Portugal is in line with ECO360 — the national strategy for green and circular public procurement — offering public entities a structured methodology for integrating climate criteria into procurement procedures.

Benefits for public entities:

Achievement of climate objectives through strategic procurement
Clear and verifiable methodology for evaluating suppliers
Alignment with ECO360 and European sustainable procurement policies
Reduction of indirect emissions (Scope 3) through the supply chain

Benefits for suppliers:

Competitive differentiation in public tenders
Clear structure for measuring and reducing carbon footprint
Access to public markets that value sustainability
Internationally recognised European certification

Portugal's official CO₂ Performance Ladder manager

Aliados has been appointed official manager of the CO₂ Performance Ladder in Portugal by SKAO (Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business), the Dutch entity responsible for CO₂PL at European level.

As national manager, Aliados is responsible for:

Introduction and dissemination

Presenting CO₂PL to the Portuguese market, raising awareness among public and private entities, and promoting the adoption of the tool.

Adaptation to the national context

Ensuring the alignment of CO₂PL with the Portuguese legal framework, including the Public Contracts Code, ECO360 and other relevant public policies.

Training

Training public procurement teams, auditors and consultants through official programmes such as the CO₂PL START Training Programme.

European coordination

Represent Portugal in the European CO₂PL network, ensuring the exchange of best practices and methodological alignment. Implementation support Support public and private organisations in integrating CO₂PL into procurement processes and obtaining certification.

CO₂PL START Training Programme

Aliados has developed the CO₂PL START Training Programme, an official training programme for public procurement teams, managers and technicians from organisations that wish to integrate climate criteria into their procurement procedures.

What the training includes:

– Fundamentals of the CO₂ Performance Ladder and certification methodology

– Integration of climate criteria into tender specifications

– Coordination between CO₂PL and ECO360

– European and national case studies

– Tools for evaluating proposals based on carbon footprint

CO₂PL START - First Edition

CO₂PL START - Second Edition

2026: consolidation and expansion

The work carried out in 2024 and 2025 — introduction of the tool, initial training, institutional coordination — represents only the beginning.

In 2026, Aliados will:

Extend the CO₂PL START training programme to more public entities
Support the first pilot processes for integrating CO₂PL into public tenders
Develop technical resources adapted to the Portuguese context
Strengthen coordination with eSPap and other central public entities
Facilitate suppliers’ access to CO₂PL certification

Contact us

The Aliados team is available to answer questions about the CO₂ Performance Ladder, discuss training opportunities, or support the integration of the tool into public procurement processes.

For public entities: Interested in integrating climate criteria into procurement or participating in CO₂PL START training.

For suppliers: Interested in CO₂PL certification for access to sustainable public markets.

For partners: Auditors, consultants or entities wishing to collaborate in the dissemination of CO₂PL.

Contact: co2pl@aliados.consulting

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