SB/T 11263-2025 in English

Standard Overview and Development Background

SB/T 11263-2025, "Green Procurement Specifications for Retail Enterprises," is a domestic trade industry standard issued by the Ministry of Commerce and will officially take effect on January 1, 2026. This standard, co-drafted by the China Chain Store & Franchise Association and jointly with leading retailers such as JD.com, IKEA, Tetra Pak, Aeon, Metro, and Decathlon, reflects the practical experience of leading industry players.

The standard's development aligns with the country's dual carbon goals and green development policy, aiming to standardize retail procurement practices and promote green supply chain transformation. With rising consumer awareness of environmental protection and the widespread adoption of ESG investing, green procurement has become a crucial component of retail companies' core competitiveness.

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Analysis of core term definitions

The standard clearly defines key concepts such as green procurement, green supply chain, green products and life cycle, providing a theoretical basis for implementation.

< Green Products: Products that are environmentally friendly and resource-efficient throughout their lifecycles. Technical standards for product selection are provided. Lifecycle: The entire process from raw material acquisition to final disposal. A full-chain environmental impact assessment framework is established. Green Procurement System Requirements: The standard requires retailers to establish a systematic green procurement system encompassing organizational development, procurement policies, supporting standards, and performance evaluation. Top management must clearly define green procurement responsibilities and designate individuals responsible for implementing the system. During system development, companies should prioritize environmental risk assessment, business needs analysis, setting green procurement indicators, and implementing safeguards. Environmental risk assessments should cover key environmental issues such as carbon emissions, plastic pollution, and solid waste disposal.

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Supplier Management System Development

The standard requires the establishment of a scientific supplier selection mechanism, prioritizing suppliers that meet green and sustainable standards. Specific priority criteria include obtaining third-party green certification, implementing clean production processes, and meeting pollutant emission standards.

Terms	Definition points	Application significance
Green procurement	Introducing the concept of green, low-carbon circulation and giving priority to the purchase of environmentally friendly products	Establishing the principle of environmental priority in procurement decisions
Green supply chain	Environmental management throughout the entire product life cycle	Promoting collaborative green development between upstream and downstream

Supplier type	Priority conditions	Management requirements
Certified suppliers	Obtain third-party green certification	Regularly verify the validity of the certification
Technologically advanced suppliers	Adopt clean production processes	Evaluate the environmental benefits of technology
Compliant suppliers	Meet pollutant emission standards	Monitor emission data
Innovative suppliers	Use environmentally friendly materials	Evaluate the recyclability of materials

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Key points for the implementation of green procurement

In the commodity procurement process, the standard requires enterprises to formulate a list of green procurement products and services, and give priority to purchasing green products recognized by government departments or certified by third parties. Special emphasis is placed on compliance with GB 23350's requirements for limiting excessive packaging of goods.

Warehousing and distribution processes should implement energy-saving measures, adopt new energy transportation vehicles, and promote packaging reduction and recycling. The standard encourages the establishment of intelligent logistics systems, optimized transportation routes, and reduced carbon emissions.

Supplier audits include both qualification and on-site audits, requiring suppliers to provide environmental compliance certification and conducting environmental assessments of key suppliers' production processes.

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Performance Management and Supervision Mechanism

The standard recommends establishing a green procurement performance evaluation system, combining company self-assessment with third-party evaluation. Key monitoring indicators include: the proportion of green-certified goods purchased, the supplier's environmental performance compliance rate, and the carbon emission intensity of logistics processes.

The supervision mechanism requires the establishment of a cross-departmental oversight team to conduct regular spot checks on procurement execution and establish an early warning mechanism for supply chain emergencies. Data monitoring should cover the entire procurement process to ensure supply chain compliance.

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Continuous improvement and enhancement path

The standard emphasizes the establishment of a closed-loop management mechanism of monitoring-assessment-improvement. Companies should identify non-conformities through audits, complaints, data analysis, and other methods, develop rectification plans, and track and verify the results.

In terms of continuous improvement, companies are required to monitor changes in regulations and standards and regularly revise their green procurement systems. Establish an innovation incentive mechanism to encourage employees to propose process optimization suggestions and encourage suppliers to develop innovative, environmentally friendly products.

Areas for improvement	Specific measures	Expected results
System improvement	Regularly revise procurement standards	Maintain system advancement
Technological innovation	Promote suppliers to develop environmentally friendly products	Improve product environmental performance
Capacity building	Organize green procurement training	Improve employee professional level
Information transparency	Publish green procurement progress report	Enhance stakeholder trust

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Implementation suggestions and industry impact

For retail companies, the implementation of SB/T 11263-2025 should be implemented in phases: first, complete system development and team training, then conduct supplier assessments and develop product lists, and finally establish a comprehensive performance monitoring system.

The implementation of the standard will drive the overall green transformation of the retail industry and promote the coordinated development of upstream and downstream supply chains. As the concept of green procurement becomes more widespread, consumers will have more environmentally friendly product choices, and companies will enhance their market competitiveness through green differentiation.

It is recommended that companies fully utilize the green procurement comparison table in Appendix A to systematically assess their green procurement levels, identify key areas for improvement, and develop practical implementation plans.