Public procurement as a driver of sustainable business
Customers in the public sector account for 7% of Alligo’s sales. This business is handled solely through public procurements, where sustainability requirements have developed rapidly. For Alligo, this represents an opportunity to drive sustainable development while strengthening competitiveness.
Focus on follow-up
In the past, sustainability criteria could mean merely presenting certificates and were viewed more as a formality. According to Urban Åkerman, Head of Public Sector Tenders at Alligo, sustainability requirements are now a decisive factor in winning contracts and building long-term customer relationships.
– Public-sector customers often lead the way and specify requirements that can be several years ahead of national targets. This means that we as partners also must be one step ahead and ensure we can meet the requirements.
– It is increasingly common for larger public sector customers to perform follow-up during the agreement period to ensure that suppliers are working according to the specified criteria. This benefits serious suppliers and establishes a hallmark of quality, says Nadja Pilpilidou, Sustainability Strategist at Alligo.
– We have seen sustainability develop from being a reporting issue to a business-critical factor. Our sales staff need to understand and be able to explain sustainability matters. This is a key part of the sales pitch and of ongoing customer dialogue.
Clearer requirements in the value chain
The most common requirements relate to responsible supply chain, social sustainability and environmental and quality certification such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Alligo’s sustainability specialist, Mikaela Johansson, highlights the particularly extensive criteria for textiles, with labelling such as OEKO-TEX®, Made in Green, GOTS and Ecolabel, as well as requirements for water treatment in production.
– We have been working for a long time with OEKO-TEX® and supplier audits to ensure both product content and social requirements. This is important for performing quality assurance on our clothing and meeting the stringent requirements from public sector customers. Climate data is increasingly requested for each product and Alligo has begun work to meet these customer requirements.”
Internal cooperation strengthens competitiveness
To meet customer requirements, there must be close and well-structured internal cooperation between the Sustainability, Assortment & Procurement, and Sales departments. In 2025, Alligo established a sustainability and sales council to act as a platform for dialogue and knowledge sharing. This identifies customer trends at an early stage and supports the sales organisation in translating complex sustainability requirements into a business case.
Better internal tools, glossaries and training are some of the activities implemented during the year to make sustainability matters more accessible for the sales organisation. An initiative that Urban believes strengthens Alligo’s competitiveness.
– Cooperation has also enabled us to prioritise the right initiatives, such as developing circular solutions for recycling workwear.
