Sustainable Procurement

Our Sustainable Procurement Goal

Our sustainable procurement goal is to procure goods and services in ways that maximise efficiency and effectiveness while minimising social, environmental and other risks. When buying through the University’s purchasing systems, or using other University contracted suppliers, staff can be confident that environmental and social issues have been taken into account.

Sustainable Procurement Progress

2012/2013

The University of Edinburgh has endorsed the use of two 'Supported Business frameworks'. REDROCK for document scanning and the Sign Factory for printed signage. A supported factory means 'an establishment where more than 50% of the workers are disabled persons who by reason of the nature or severity of their disability are unable to take up work on the open labour market.'

2011/12

Developed implementation of Marrakech approach to sustainable procurement
Workers Rights Consortium - following procurement team investigations in 2012, the University joined WRC an independent, non-political labour rights monitoring organisation, which makes efforts to collaborate with workers, non-governmental organisations, and other universities and colleges, to improve the conditions of workers in the garment industry. Our staff/student Fair Trade Steering Group will keep this under review.
Printing Services Gold Winners for 2nd year running in the Edinburgh Sustainability Awards for the second year running.
Procurement Capability Assessment: The procurement office achieved full marks in the sustainability criteria.
Attained Investors in People standard in 2011/12
The Director of Procurement, Karen Bowman, was awarded the Principal’s Medal 2011/12 for outstanding service in developing procurement services e.g. on whole life value for money and sustainability.
Short-listed for the third year running as an Outstanding Procurement Team Finalist in the ‘Times Higher Education, Leadership and Management Awards 2012 for embedding sustainable procurement risk management and were the Winners of the ‘Government Opportunities’ GO Scotland Team Award 2011 and GO UK National Team Award 2012.
Increased use of eProcurement - 24% increase in the number and a 31% increase in the value, of orders being placed via eProcurement. This equates to useful efficiencies in staff time and accuracy

2010/11

Developed awareness raising and a training plan for sustainable procurement
Co-lead the Scottish Universities’ Sustainable Procurement Topic Support Network
Developing a tool to assess the carbon footprint of suppliers in collaboration with Business School, ENDS Carbon and SpikesCavell

2009/10

Developed and delivered a Sustainable Procurement Action Plan
Appointed Nigel Paul, Director of Corporate Services, as our Sustainable Procurement Champion
Established teams to focus on a range of sustainability issues in procurement
Developed our system for considering risks related to procurement to include: equality, environment, disposal, social issues, reputation and health and safety
Assisted small businesses that supply the University, through the use of eProcurement and support to those awarded contracts

Choosing goods and services that benefit the University, society, economy and the environment

Our objectives include:

Enhancing the skills and knowledge of all staff with purchasing authority
Supporting businesses which employ over 50% disabled people by engaging with our suppliers and awarding contracts to such ‘reserved businesses’
Starting to assess the carbon emissions associated with the goods and services we buy

Our approach is to:

Focus our specialist support on managing the procurement of goods and services that are either high value, high volume or high risk
Give priority to social responsibility and sustainability and whole life costs when selecting suppliers and awarding contracts
Ensure that all collaborative buying arrangements we enter into meet our own high standards
Provide guidance and training to support people across the University with responsibility for purchasing all other goods and services.

Find out more

The University is a signatory to the Suppliers’ Charter

Lead Responsibilities

Nigel Paul, Director of Corporate Services, Sustainable Procurement Champion

Tel - 0131 650 9845

Email Nigel Paul, Director of Corporate Services

Karen Bowman, Director of Procurement

Tel - 0131 650 2508

Email Karen Bowman, Director of Procurement

Key Committees

Sustainability and Environment Advisory Group (Operations)

Convenor: Nigel Paul, Director of Corporate Services

Sustainability and Environment Advisory Group

Convenor: Prof Mary Bownes, Vice Principal Research Training & Community Relations

SEAG Secretary: Angela Lewthwaite - 0131 651 4384

Email Angela Lewthwaite

Fairtrade Steering Group

Convenor: Karen Bowman, Director of Procurement

FSG Secretary: Jane Rooney - 650 2491

Email Jane Rooney

This article was published on Jan 24, 2013