What is Sustainable Procurement?
According to the United Nations (UN), sustainable procurement entails balancing financial, environmental, and social impacts when acquiring goods and services while considering product cost throughout the product's entire lifecycle. Sustainable procurement will ensure that purchases - from everyday office supplies to large-scale construction materials - are sourced responsibly, with a vigilant eye on fair labour practices and environmental impact.
Before procuring any new items, take a waste reduction lens and ask yourself:
| Is this a necessary purchase? | The force of habit and impulse can drive us to make unnecessary purchases. It's essential to pause and confirm whether a purchase serves a genuine need, and if so, determine the appropriate quantity required. Additionally, make sure to periodically review automatic re-orders to ensure they still meet your current needs. |
| Does it provide long-term value? | Choose products that are high quality and longer lasting. These choices are more environmental and economic than purchasing an inexpensive but low-quality product in the long run. |
| Is the product made of reused or recycled products? | Products with recycled or reused content cause significantly less of a negative environmental impact. Ensure to check product labels when to see what portion of the product(s) are made from recycled content. |
| Is it available locally? | Purchasing from local vendors reduces the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transporting goods while also supporting local businesses. |
| How will it be disposed of? | Consider the sustainability of the products you procure by evaluating whether they can be recycled or reused. Discourage the procurement of single-use items whenever possible, as they contribute significantly to waste generation and environmental degradation. |
How does Sustainable Procurement align with UTM's Sustainability Goals?
UTM released a Climate Positive Plan in 2023, committing to reducing the university's greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2043 and become climate-positive by 2050, meaning UTM will reduce more emissions than it generates. The Climate Positive Plan aims to address UTM’s Scope 1 emissions; however, there needs to be action taken to address Scope 2 and 3 emissions as well.
Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions classify an organization’s greenhouse gas emissions into three categories:
| Scope 1 includes direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the organization (e.g., the burning of natural gas to generate steam for heating and cooling) |
| Scope 2 includes indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy (e.g., the purchase and consumption of electricity from a utility provider) |
| Scope 3 includes additional indirect emissions that occur in the organization’s value chain (e.g., emissions associated with travel) |
A University of Toronto study quantifying UTM's Scope 3 emissions found that nearly half of these emissions come from purchased goods and services. Based on 2023 data, the accompanying pie chart illustrates how procurement significantly impacts our net emissions. Adopting sustainable procurement practices is critical to reducing UTM's emissions and achieving our climate-positive goal by 2050.
Sustainable Procurement Guides - Background
These guides are a comprehensive resource providing avenues for sustainable procurement practices within the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) campus. With UTM's extensive provision and procurement of various goods and services, it is imperative to adopt a purchasing strategy prioritizing sustainability. Through lenses such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, and product longevity, these guides aim to steer procurement decisions toward environmentally and socially conscious choices.
UTM’s Sustainability Office crafted these guides by drawing upon insights from the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS), a framework from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), and engaging with internal stakeholders. Although this resource offers detailed recommendations for sustainable procurement, it does not encompass every possible option available. Instead, the guides are a dynamic tool to inspire and inform sustainable purchasing practices across campus.
Best Practices: Utilizing the Guides
The Sustainable Procurement Guides are divided into seven categories:
- Cleaning and Janitorial Supplies
- Clothing and Swag
- Electronics
- Furniture
- Office Paper and Supplies
- Scientific Supplies
- Vehicle Fleet
Each guide follows the same framework:
- Procurement Recommendations from STARS*
- This section details the procurement criteria from STARS version 3.0 that UTM must meet to earn points in our next STARS submission
- The Sustainability Office views STARS as a gold standard for sustainable procurement, so the expectation is to prioritize products that align with these requirements
- Product Procurement Standards
- This section outlines general standards for selecting more sustainable products. These guidelines represent the minimum sustainability requirements when making purchases for the university
- Approved Suppliers
- This section lists U of T’s approved suppliers for specific product categories, ensuring that sustainable procurement is streamlined
- Look for the following labels
- This section outlines key sustainability labels to look for when purchasing products. These labels ensure that the products consider various aspects of sustainability, such as environmental impact and ethical sourcing
- RFx Supplier Sample Questions + Sample Criteria
- This section provides sample questions and criteria to include in request-for-quotation (RFx) processes. It ensures that sustainability is factored into large-scale purchasing decisions across campus
- Post-Product Life
- This section covers the proper disposal and end-of-life management of products, helping to reduce waste and promote recycling or reuse
*Two guides, Clothing and Swag and Scientific Supplies, do not have STARS guidelines included as there is no specific criteria under STARS 3.0 about sustainable procurement of clothing, swag, or scientific supplies
These guides are in the process of being adopted and implemented with the relevant stakeholders at UTM.
Life-Cycle Approach (LCA) and Total Cost of Ownership
To sustainably procure items, consider goods and services holistically using a life cycle approach (LCA). A product's life cycle begins with raw material extraction, manufacturing, and transportation to a facility and concludes with recycling, reuse, or disposal. Embracing this approach requires understanding how our decisions impact each stage, allowing us to balance trade-offs and generate positive impacts on the economy, environment, and society.
For a visual understanding of the LCA, watch this short TedEd Video, Life Cycle of a T-Shirt.
In addition to the LCA, consider a product’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). TCO considers all expenses linked to a product throughout its entire life cycle—from its initial development and design to its utilization, maintenance, and eventual disposal. Taking TCO into account allows buyers to make cost effective purchases over a longer time period.
For a visual understanding of the TCO, watch this short video, Spotlight on Total Cost of Ownership.
U of T Diverse Supplier Portal
U of T’s Procurement Office wants to prioritize businesses that are socially conscious. Social procurement is about providing typically underrepresented suppliers who may not be aware of or approached for potential business opportunities.
Access U of T’s Diverse Supplier Portal, a directory of social enterprises, diverse/equity-deserving, and local suppliers.
Please note that you need to request permission to access the portal by filling out an online form, as only U of T staff and faculty can access it.
Competitive Procurement
As a publicly funded institution, all procurement activity at the University of Toronto should be conducted in a competitive manner to ensure the best value for public dollars. Best value for money does not necessarily mean selecting the lowest price option. It can include non-cost factors such as fitness for purpose, quality, service and support as well as cost-related factors such as life cycle and transaction costs associated with using, maintaining and disposing of the goods or services.
Visit the U of T Procurement Services Competitive Procurement site and scroll down to the first accordion to see the Procurement Thresholds table to understand your due diligence when procuring goods and services.