A Shared Direction, A Stronger Signal to the Market — Reflections from the Circular & Fair ICT (CFIT) Pact In-Person Meeting in Ljubljana
At the beginning of June, participants of the Circular & Fair ICT (CFIT) Pact met in Ljubljana, Slovenia, for the annual CFIT in-person meeting, hosted by the Slovenian Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy. The meeting was one moment in a much broader collaboration that takes place throughout the year. Through the CFIT Pact, public authorities, cities, procurement organisations, governments and international institutions work together to develop practical recommendations, exchange implementation experiences and identify opportunities for greater alignment in circular, fair and sustainable ICT procurement.
The discussions reflected a reality many public organisations are experiencing today: ICT procurement is becoming increasingly strategic. Questions about climate impact, critical raw materials, supply chain transparency, resilience, digital sovereignty and artificial intelligence are no longer separate conversations. Increasingly, they intersect within the same procurement decisions.
This is precisely why the Circular & Fair ICT Pact was established.
The ICT market is global, while public procurement often remains fragmented. Many public organisations share similar ambitions and face similar challenges, yet suppliers frequently encounter different requirements and priorities. By aligning where it creates value, public organisations can reduce fragmentation, learn from one another and provide a clearer and more consistent signal to the market.
At the heart of this approach are the CFIT Recommendations.
Developed by participants and grounded in practical procurement experience, the Recommendations translate shared learning into concrete guidance for public organisations. They help create greater coherence across different organisations and procurement systems, while remaining flexible enough to accommodate different contexts. Their value lies not only in the guidance itself, but in the collective experience and practical lessons that underpin it.
This year's theme of the CFIT in person meeting — From CFIT Recommendations to Implementation — reflected an important next step. Discussions focused on how existing recommendations can support implementation in practice, what lessons can be drawn from early experiences and where future work is needed.
At the same time, participants explored emerging topics that are becoming increasingly relevant for public procurement. Discussions on lifetime extension highlighted how keeping ICT equipment in use longer can simultaneously reduce environmental impacts, strengthen resource efficiency and improve value for money. Artificial intelligence prompted conversations about transparency, governance, energy use and the role procurement can play in ensuring that innovation develops responsibly.
Across the various sessions, a common observation emerged: many of the challenges public organisations face today are shared. The same is increasingly true of the solutions.
As digital technologies continue to evolve, the conversations in Ljubljana highlighted the growing value of practical cooperation, shared learning and greater alignment. For organisations looking to strengthen their approach to circular, fair and sustainable ICT procurement, the CFIT Pact offers an opportunity not only to learn from the experiences of others, but also to help shape the recommendations, approaches and priorities that will influence the future of ICT procurement. If your organisation is interested in contributing to and benefiting from this work, we invite you to get in touch and explore how you can become part of the CFIT Pact.