The Sustainable Public Procurement Implementation Guidelines, or ‘Guidelines,’ provide decision makers in government, experts and consultants with a methodology and roadmap for successfully designing and implementing Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) policies and action plans. The aim is to provide a common vision, language, and framework for SPP and to guide stakeholders on how to effectively pave the way towards its implementation. The Guidelines present a specific and adaptable methodology for SPP implementation, or ‘SPP Approach,’ developed by the Marrakech Task Force on SPP and piloted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in seven countries from 2009 to 2012, leading to the publication of the first edition of the Guidelines in 2012 (see Box 1. Marrakech Task Force on SPP). The SPP Approach was later applied in 15 countries, providing an opportunity to collect lessons learned, establish best practices, and refine the methodology, leading to the publication of this new edition.1 The Guidelines are supported by capacity building tools and an information platform managed by UNEP.2 Application of the SPP Approach at the national or sub-national level should be guided by national sustainable development priorities and international commitments, such as policies and legislation related to climate change mitigation, circular economy, green economy, economic development, and more generally policies geared towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This alignment gives purpose to SPP, ensures continuity of SPP implementation in the event of changes in government, and simplifies and strengthens the message given to procurers, suppliers, and the market.