Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 60.39
Liaison Christina Olsen
Submission Date March 30, 2021

STARS v2.2

British Columbia Institute of Technology
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.50 / 3.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have written policies, guidelines, or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across multiple commodity categories institution-wide?:
Yes

A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
The policies, guidelines or directives:

BCIT’s commitment to sustainability encompasses advancing the state of practice through education and research, improving campus operations and planning, and strengthening employee and student stewardship and wellness programs. BCIT encourages all members of the community to carry out their duties in a manner that supports economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

The purposes of this policy are as follows:
- To serve as an umbrella policy to guide the development and implementation of new policies and programs that will advance sustainability at BCIT
- To establish the principles and goals that will inform development of such policies and programs
- To define the roles of BCIT employees responsible for implementing this policy
- To communicate the need for practices that support sustainability
- To initiate change in behaviours and management towards sustainable practices
- To foster economic, social, and environmental sustainability on BCIT campuses

Through the application of this policy, BCIT aims to improve, monitor, and report on its performance in sustainability including in the areas of:
- Curriculum development and education delivery
- Applied research
- Food services
- Building design, construction, and renovation
- Facilities management and custodial services
- Procurement of goods and services
- Land use planning
- Landscaping and ecological restoration
- Transportation
- Enhancement of human well‐being, equity, health, safety, and productivity

This policy will be under revision in 2021 to align with the Sustainability Vision (more information in PA-2). One of the strategies to advancing sustainability at BCIT is "Sustainable Procurement". Most of the impact of consumption is in the supply-side of manufactured goods, so a focus on sustainable procurement can yield significant benefit. We will deepen and augment our commitment to social and environmental responsibility in our purchasing, working closely with our suppliers and partners to ensure a systemic approach. Where relevant, we will advocate for regulatory shifts to lift constraints on our capacity to promote sustainability in our buying decisions. And we will communicate and support the adoption of best practices across the Institute. Different units have different needs and parameters; we will collaborate with each to ensure that we move the needle in procurement while respecting the local academic or business context.


Does the institution employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) when evaluating energy- and water-using products and systems?:
No

Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
---

A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating chemically intensive products and services?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating consumable office products?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating furniture and furnishings?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) and equipment?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food service providers?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional service providers?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating transportation and fuels?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
---

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable procurement program or initiatives is available:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.