The 2012 Annual Statistical Report on UN Procurement also features a thematic supplement on a key issue in procurement. For 2012, the focus of the supplement is on balancing social, environmental and economic considerations in procurement, a practice that is often described as sustainable procurement. In the context of the global drive to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns and achieve the Millennium Development Goals, the supplement provides an overview of the benefits and challenges of implementing sustainable procurement. It contains a range of articles and case studies from academia, the public and private sectors and the United Nations.