Additional Strategies
Sustainable Procurement Summary: CWU purchases roughly $100 million in goods and services on an annual basis. CWU possesses the purchasing power to help reduce GHG emissions associated with purchasing and
obtaining goods and services for the University. Unfortunately, most goods and services do not include the social costs of carbon (e.g., damages to society resulting from emitting carbon dioxide). Infusing sustainability-related criteria within CWU procurement policies will help reform system-wide purchasing processes, help alleviate risk, and reduce upstream emissions with respect to procuring goods and services for the University.
Objective: Create and begin
implementing a Sustainable Purchasing Plan by 2025.
Projected GHG Emission Reductions: Medium Impact Strategy: CWU Contracts and Purchasing develops and adopts criteria, policies, and guidelines that support, 1) sustainable purchasing of commodities, 2) life cycle cost analysis for products and systems, and 3) product and services evaluation by summer 2025. Action Steps: • CWU Sustainability, Contracts, Purchasing and Surplus Office, Auxiliary Enterprises, and other departments begin collaborating on developing a policy on sustainable purchasing and procurement, which will encourage institutional purchasing practices that are socially just, support human and ecological health, and promote economic well-being. • The team develops, publishes, and institutes ethical, equitable, and sustainable purchasing/ procurement criteria to be applied when evaluating: 1) Chemical-intensive products and services, 2) consumable office supplies and cleaning/ janitorial products, 3) furniture and furnishings, 4) food and beverage service providers, 5) garments and linens, 6) professional service providers, 7) information technology products and services, 8) promotional products (SWAG), 9) landscaping products, and 9) transportation (e.g., campus fleet) and fuels Department Lead(s): CWU Contracts, Purchasing and Surplus Office, Facilities Management, Dining Services, Wildcat Shop Initial and Ongoing Costs: Funding for one full-time equivalent position to manage and measure the impacts of CWU’s Sustainable Procurement Plan. Funding Opportunities: N/A Phasing Plan: Sustainable Purchasing team begins to draft sustainable procurement/purchasing guidelines and policies in 2024. Emissions tracking associated with CWU procurement of goods and services begins in 2024/2025. New CWU sustainable procurement/purchasing policies are implemented in 2025. Equity Considerations: CWU Sustainable Procurement/Purchasing policies and guidelines are aligned with CWU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion values and goals, wherever possible and applicable. CWU seeks to prioritize spending on University goods and services in partnership with underrepresented entities, including minority and women-owned businesses as well as emerging, small, local businesses.
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