Sustainable Purchasing Policy
The Sustainable Purchasing Policy is written to ensure that staff involved in the procurement of goods and services throughout the University consider environmental responsibility as a factor in their purchasing decisions.The main ways that they can do this are:
- Ask first if this purchase is really necessary (reduce consumption)
- Consider “environmental” costs, which include the cost of disposal/recycling
- Due consideration should be given at all times when purchasing goods and services which can be manufactured, used and disposed of in an environmentally responsible way
- Where items are of a similar cost, try to give preference to those that are manufactured with a high recycled content and/or from sustainable sources
- Wherever possible, prioritise items that can be reused or recycled
- Wherever practical, preference should be given to suppliers that can demonstrate how they are reducing their environmental impact
- Wherever practical, work with your suppliers to progress environmental initiatives and exchange best practice.
In particular, purchasers should consider:
- Reduce energy consumption,
- Avoid purchasing products from endangered stocks or forests
- Waste minimisation, reuse and recycling opportunities
- Implications of disposal after goods have reached “end of life”
- Avoidance of ozone depleting substances
- Avoidance of volatile organic compounds
- Reduce purchase of materials containing heavy metals
- Control of discharges to air, land and water
- Noise levels generated from plant and machinery
- Toxicity of materials released to land, air and water
- Reducing packaging
The University Purchasing Department will:
- Carry out an environmental assessment of the University’s major suppliers at tender
- Monitor our major suppliers on an ongoing basis with regard to their environmental policies and practices
- Attempt to shape or alter, where appropriate, the environmental policies of our suppliers
- Wherever practical, arrange agreements that offer environmentally preferable products as alternatives
- Provide the University departments with advice on environmental issues relating to purchasing, calling on the skills of manufacturers as necessary
- Provide awareness on environmental purchasing to departments within the University
- Liaise with Estates Services to facilitate effective recycling arrangements across the University
- Encourage suppliers to actively promote good environmental awareness and practices.
- Reusable and recyclable
Environmentally Preferable Products
Environmentally preferable products are ones that are less harmful to human health and the environment when compared with competing products that serve the same purpose. They should be:
- Fit for the purpose and provide value for money
- Energy and resource efficient
- Not from endangered species (flora and fauna)
- Minimum use of virgin materials
- Maximum use of post consumer materials
- Non (or reduced) polluting
- Durable, easily upgraded and repairable
- Reusable and recyclable
Contact Details
For further information, please contact:The Purchasing Department (University access only)
Telephone: 01865 (6) 16022
Fax: 01865 (6) 16023