University of Technology, Sydney

Staff directory | Campus maps | Newsroom | What's on

Procurement

The life cycle of a product we buy is something not usually talked about or even known. However, the Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Initiative at UTS is committed to not only knowing what UTS is buying but where it has come from and where it will eventually go.

With 'green procurement' in mind, UTS takes the following into account before purchasing goods or services:

  • value for money, such as price, quality, availability and functionality
  • the effects on the environment that the product and/or service has over its whole life cycle

Ultimately, these efforts aim to minimise environmental pollution and the depletion of natural resources.

What do we want to achieve?

  • Adoption of various forms of electronic commerce
  • Increase the purchase of environmentally responsible and recyclable products in place of virgin equivalents
  • Increase purchases of goods and services from like-minded 'green' suppliers and encourage other suppliers to responsibly manage any by-products associated with the provision of goods and services to UTS.

How are we performing?

  • UTS has already introduced several electronic systems to replace previous manual business processes which reduces paper usage and waste
  • Mastercards have been issued and are reconciled electronically, resulting in direct deposit payments into nominated payroll accounts. This has replaced the issuing of paper based statements and individual cheques being generated and sent traditionally through the postal system.
  • UTS's electronic procurement system (i-proc) has been rolled out to five faculties with more roll outs planned in the future. This has replaced the issuing of purchase order books which were filed as triplicate copies to affect what might constitute a single line purchase.
  • Currently 61% of the supplier database is set up to receive Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payments
  • Other initiatives include:
  • purchasing paper products made from recycled paper. Currently 9% of all paper purchases (excluding printing services) contain a minimum of 50% recycled content but with the majority of purchases having 80% or greater recycled content
  • purchasing energy-efficient T5 light bulbs to replace incandescent light bulbs for 60% of the University
  • purchasing motion-detection lighting to replace continuous lighting for 20% of the University
  • purchasing off-peak water heating systems
  • centralising facilities management purchases to ensure those with expertise in determining efficiency ratings are charged with the responsibility to purchase.

What will be the benefits?

Through prudent product and service choices, UTS will reduce:

  • air and water pollution
  • waste to landfill
  • water and energy consumption
  • greenhouse gas emissions.

These choices avoid the depletion of resources and thus contribute toward quality of life for future generations.

What are we doing?

The Procurement Working Group has developed a three-stage plan:

Short term

  • Purchasing environmentally friendly stationary products and setting targets for their consumption across the University.
  • Collecting data on what we currently do well to ensure new initiatives do not erode existing achievements.
  • Promoting sustainable procurement policies by raising awareness, supplying information and training.

Medium term

  • Creating on-line product catalogues to eliminate the need for excess printing.
  • Reviewing contracts during renewal cycles to ensure we include environmental clauses wherever possible.

Long term

  • Developing and implementing a training and awareness program for staff.
  • Exploring a commitment to environmental risk assessments as part of our procurement processes.

What can you do to help?

  • Before you buy, stop and consider whether you can fulfil the need without purchasing. Could a product or resource be borrowed instead?
  • Educate yourself on products that offer environmental benefits or reduce our footprint, such as products with recycled content or a good efficiency rating. Also consider the toxicity levels and emissions created both during the product's use and in its production as well as how the product will be disassembled after its initial use.
  • Encourage use of public transport and lead by example.
  • Be interested in the environmental policies of the suppliers you give business to and select those who dispose of the by-products of their manufacturing process responsibly or offer collection and recycling programs.

Back to top