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Sustainable Procurement
“The aim and challenge of sustainable procurement is to integrate environmental and social considerations into the procurement process, with the goal of reducing adverse impacts upon the economy, social conditions and the environment”.
The University’s Procurement Strategy recognise the impact of embedding sustainable procurement into our procurement process and providing outcomes which support our Sustainability Strategic Theme.
Our Procurement Strategy explains how we will embed ‘Environmental Sustainability’, ‘Economic Sustainability’ and ‘Social Value’ into our tender process and the contracts that we procure, committing our supply chain partners to deliver sustainable solutions that reach beyond the University’s direct influence.
Examples of Sustainability requirements that may be considered, include:
Environmental Sustainability - defined as responsible interaction with the environment to avoid depletion or degradation of natural resources and allow for long-term environmental quality e.g.
- Carbon Reduction
- Renewable Energy
- Waste Management
- Recycling 4 R’s (Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
Economic Sustainability – defined as practices that support long-term economic growth without negatively impacting social, environmental, and cultural aspects of the community. e.g.
- The use of local suppliers and SME’s
- Quality and Price evaluation, not just price
- Longer term contracts
- Real Living Wage employers
Social Value - defined as the additional benefit organisations provide to not only themselves but the communities they operate within. This ‘value’ reaches further than the direct purchase of services and outcomes, and instead focuses on how organisations can secure wider societal benefits.e.g.
- Employment opportunities
- Training opportunities
- Work experience and placements
- Community benefits (eg community groups, schools)
Contact us if you want to know more about our approach to Sustainable Procurement.