Columbia University
OP-17: Guidelines for Business Partners

Institution has and acts on policies, guidelines and/or agreements that set expectations about the social and environmental responsibility of its business partners. The policies, guidelines and/or agreements require new and/or existing vendors and contractors and/or franchisees to adhere to: 

1) Minimum environmental standards and practices defined by the institution, for example as outlined by the institution’s sustainability policies 

And/or 

2) Minimum standards and practices governing employee wages, benefits, working conditions and rights that are consistent with fundamental International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions. 

All enterprises with employees on-site as part of regular campus operations (e.g. contractors and franchisees) and other standing and/or formal business relationships (e.g. regular vendors and contracted services) are included. 

Businesses that produce and/or sell licensed articles bearing the institution’s trademarked logo (“licensees”) are not included. They are covered in EN 15: Trademark Licensing. 

The credit acknowledges institutional engagement in selecting its business partners and guiding them toward sustainability. Policies, guidelines or practices of the businesses themselves do not count for this credit in the absence of institutional selection criteria and/or guidance. Requiring compliance with existing legislation does not count on its own, but may be included as part of broader requirements that meet the criteria outlined above. 

Policies adopted by entities of which the institution is part (e.g. government or university system) may count for this credit as long as the policies apply to and are followed by the institution.  

This credit applies to all institutions. 

Institutions earn the maximum of 1 point available for this credit when all of its business partners are covered by policies, guidelines and/or agreements that meet both of the criteria listed above. Partial points are available based on whether all, some or none of the institution’s business partners are covered and whether the policies, guidelines and/or agreements meet one or both of the criteria. For example, an institution with guidelines that require some of its vendors, contractors, and franchisees to adhere to both minimum environmental standards and minimum standards governing employees would earn 0.5 points (half the points available for this credit). 

See scoring table in the STARS Technical Manual.

Timeframe

Report on current policies and procedures.   

Sampling and Data Standards

Not applicable