NEED WHAT IS TAKEN
[ PROCUREMENT AND MATERIALS ]
Procurement at the University of St. Thomas is committed to advancing sustainability best practices throughout university purchasing processes in collaboration with our vendor community. In the university’s 2018 STARS report, St. Thomas achieved full points for IT purchasing as well as points in other categories including chemicals and paper purchasing. In addition, the procurement staff has worked with vendors on packaging and delivery schedules that minimize emissions and waste, and to track total air miles for the purpose of reporting on the university’s carbon emissions. We are working to reduce paper usage in procure to pay processes. The following are some highlights from the recent STARS report: • 100% of office paper is FSC certified or contains at least 10% post-consumer recycled content. • 9.68% of office paper contains 90% or more post-consumer recycled content. • 100% of expenditures on computers, tablets, displays and televisions meet the EPEAT Gold standard. • 66% of cleaning and janitorial products meet third-party certified sustainability standards.
TAKE WHAT IS NEEDED
CONTINUED ACTIONS 1. Implement a campus-wide sustainable procurement policy 1. Implement a campus-wide sustainable procurement policy
We will draft and adopt a campus-wide sustainable procurement policy that addresses at least six of the STARS procurement categories. Additionally, sustainability clauses will be added to the RFP and contracts library to facilitate departments’ support of sustainable procurement. 2. Reduce the use of office paper We are currently in development of paperless processing in accounts payable for 30,000 annual multipage transactions. We will also research and implement paperless processing for the card program of at least 50,000 annual multipage transactions, as well as paperless payment to vendors in collaboration with banking resources. Additional initiatives, including reduced student paper use, are ongoing. 3. All office paper to contain 50% or more post-consumer recycled materials As we have already reached the milestone of 10% post-consumer recycled content in all paper purchases, we will phase in the procurement of higher levels for all office paper according to the following schedule:
• 30% or more by fall 2020 • 50% or more by fall 2021 • Continue to review standards for recycled paper content post-2021
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