ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE ACTION POLICY

Sustainable Procurement is a process that integrates environmental, governance and social factors of corporate responsibility in procurement processes and decision making, while ensuring they meet the stakeholder requirement. It is also referred to as environmentally preferred purchasing, green procurement, affirmative procurement, eco-procurement, and environmentally responsible purchasing. The purpose of this policy is to outline how the University will achieve its strategic sustainability aims through its procurement activities.

PROCUREMENT GOALS:

To improve the sustainability impact of our procurement by purchasing goods and services that advance the achievement of APU’s sustainability goals, purchasing from manufacturers and suppliers who share our commitment to sustainability and leveraging the buying power of APU to incentivize others to work towards our standards.

RESPONSIBILITY:

All University contracted and sub-contracted services shall adhere to this policy. This policy is applicable to all goods, services, works (including construction) and utilities purchased by the University and is the responsibility of all employees involved in the process.

APU APPROACH:

1. We will ensure there is sufficient knowledge and capacity in their respective Services to deliver the requirements of the standard and facilitate progress across all those included in the process.
2. We will facilitate the delivery of sustainable procurement through the category management process, including tendering activity, contract management and value tracking, seeking continuous improvement where possible.
3. We will encourage new and existing suppliers to consider and improve the social and environmental impacts of their services and activities by providing appropriate tools.
4. We will consider how we can support the circular economy through our procurement and purchasing decisions.
5.  We will make appropriate training available to all staff including procurement specialists, buyers and others involved in purchasing decisions.

POLICY AIMS:

The University requires its staff, students, partners and suppliers to:

Comply with all relevant environmental legislation and regulations as well as other requirements to which they subscribe,

1. Set, communicate and implement clear objectives and targets to ensure continued improvement in environmental performance,
2. Proactively act in ways to support environmental and climate action, raising awareness and recognizing positive action, whether it be teaching, researching or other University related activity,
3. Demonstrate commitment to managing, minimizing, and mitigating the impacts from operations, activities, research, and education,
4. To co-operate, where possible, with others to develop, utilize and share best practice in terms of environmental performance at a local, regional, and international level,
5. Demonstrate commitment to improve continually and monitor environmental performance, report openly and transparently to support greater recognition of the benefits of environmental change and ensure that outcomes do not create a detriment to any group with protected characteristics within our community.

Every successful organiation depends on having a well-developed purchasing process to source all necessary products and services at the best price.

The University will continuously monitor and report annually on the performance measures and seek to improve the way we measure the impact of our procurement activities including carbon emissions and social value and will focus these efforts on high value, high impact and/or high-risk commodities.

TOGETHER Towards Sustainable Communities:

• Sustainability @ APU - click HERE
• APU Energy Conservation Program  - click HERE
• APU Water Conservation Program  - click HERE
• APU Recycling Program  - click HERE
• APU Transportation Policy - click HERE
• APU Life on Land Conversation  - click HERE
• APU Environment and Climate Change Policy - click HERE
• APU Sustainable Investment Policy - click HERE
• APU Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Policy - click HERE
• Corporate Social Responsibility @ APU - click HERE
• ESG & Sustainability Events – Activities @ APU - click HERE