High-road contracting standards refers to a business standard of productivity and efficiency rooted in environmental sustainability, livable wages, and shared prosperity and inclusion. These standards are embedded in most public sector projects, RFPs, selection criteria, and contracts. They rarely exist for private, commercial building owners. There is a culture shift that is underway in the building industry, for both environmental and social considerations, that high-road contracting standards can help address. To conduct high-road contracting and increase supplier diversity, building owners and property managers must set clear goals and align employee incentives. This document lays out elements of best practices for building owners to design their own high-road contracting standards and sample tools to help implement them.
