| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 92.73 |
| Liaison | Emmanuelle Jodoin |
| Submission Date | Oct. 24, 2022 |
Université de Sherbrooke
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.50 / 3.00 |
Claude
Gaulin Director General Financial Resources Services |
Does the institution have written policies, guidelines, or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across multiple commodity categories institution-wide?:
A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
The policies, guidelines or directives:
Since 2018, the Université de Sherbrooke has been orienting all purchasing decisions and activities under the scope of its Stratégie d'approvisionnement responsable [EN: Responsible Procurement Strategy]. This document, with an institution-wide scope, has four axes of intervention. One of them is to systematically integrate sustainable development criteria in requests for tenders. A salient feature of the strategy is a not-reversible principle, meaning that the institution and its partners will not only maintain sustainability criteria, but will intensify them when possible.
The Responsible Procurement Strategy is operationally supported by the institution’s Responsible Procurement Policy. This policy applies to all purchases involving public funds and to acquisitions of goods, services, and construction projects. Two important features of this policy consist of codes of conduct for both purchasers and suppliers. The codes include ethical principles along with directives on social and environmental commitments.
The Responsible Procurement Policy is then applied by the buyers and technicians in the institution’s procurement office. These individuals systematically apply sustainable development criteria to all recurrent and public requests for tenders.
Responsible Procurement Strategy (French)
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/developpement-durable/fileadmin/sites/developpement-durable/documents/Strate__gie_d_approvisionnement_responsable.pdf
Responsible Procurement Policy (French)
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/decouvrir/fileadmin/sites/decouvrir/documents/direction/politiques/2500-003.pdf
Does the institution employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) when evaluating energy- and water-using products and systems?:
Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
The Université de Sherbrooke employs LCCA on a case-by-case basis for some systems, products, and practices such as high-value energy production/consumption equipment and hardware procurement/replacement policies. Building standards also include many LEED criteria for new buildings as requirements, although they may not be certified.
Thus, LCCA at the Université de Sherbrooke is project-based with an emphasis on technology, energy consumption, and water management systems. Some factors influencing its adoption are industry best practices and market maturity.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating chemically intensive products and services?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
In the Responsible Procurement Policy of the Université de Sherbrooke, the University asks suppliers to meet general guidelines minimizing the use of chemical-intensive products. These guidelines are reinforced by specific criteria applied to products or services when the University launches calls for tenders.
For instance, contracts for cleaning, janitorial, and pest control services, require the use of certified eco-friendly products. Some examples of requested labels are (1) Cradle to Cradle Certified®, (2) EcoLogo ® certified, (3) Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, (4) Green Seal certified, (5) U.S. EPA Safer Choice labelled, (6) others like ISO Type 1 Global Ecolabelling.
Moreover, service providers must report annually on products, labels, and percentages of eco-friendly versus conventional products used.
Whenever concentrated chemicals are used, service providers must use a calibrated dosing device and document the percentages used.
On pest control services, providers have to minimize the risks associated with pesticide products by using baits and gels, rather than liquid sprays.
Please see UdeS_Sustainability_criteria_published_calls_tenders_v1.pdf (Rubrics 1 to 4) in “Additional documentation to support the submission”.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating consumable office products?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
The Université de Sherbrooke purchases consumable office products in a group effort with other Québec-based academic and government institutions.
The current contract ranging from 2020 to 2025 establishes sustainability criteria for all consumable office products, for example:
• Plastic products must be recyclable and identified with the appropriate label under provincial regulation.
• Paper products (coloured) must be made from at least 30% of post-consumption sources and must be FSC or ecolabel certified.
• Paper products (white) must contain 30-100 % post-consumption fibres, must be certified FSC or ecolabel certified and must be produced under process-chlorine-free (PCF) fabrication.
• Paper products (envelopes) must be made of 100% post-consumption recycled fibres and must be FSC or ecolabel certified.
• Packing materials for office consumables must be made of 100% recyclable paper or cardboard. Deliveries must exclude overpackaging such as shrink-wrapping or similar cellophane.
Please see UdeS_Sustainability_criteria_published_calls_tenders_v1.pdf (Rubric 5) in "Additional documentation to support the submission."
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating furniture and furnishings?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
In terms of furniture and furnishings, the Université de Sherbrooke, along with 9 other universities in Québec (via the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire (BCI) [EN: Interuniversity Cooperation Office]), has signed a group contract for the period from March 2022 to April 2026.
This contract establishes mandatory sustainable development criteria for products and suppliers, including:
• Products: (1) all products must be certified under the GREENGUARD or LEVEL® initiatives; (2) the fabrication process must minimize the presence of toxic substances; (3) packaging material must be 100% compostable and recyclable; (4) cardboard boxes have to be made of 100% post-consumption fibres; (5) plastic components must be identified by proper ecolabels.
• Suppliers must have: (1) a documented strategy of equity, diversity, and inclusion; (2) an ethical code of conduct for suppliers; (3) a public company policy addressing environmental and social preoccupations, (4) a paperless transactions policy.
Please see UdeS_Sustainability_criteria_published_calls_tenders_v1.pdf (Rubric 6) in "Additional documentation to support the submission.”
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) and equipment?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
The Université de Sherbrooke, along with other universities in Québec, has diverse group contracts with selected suppliers for information technology and communication equipment.
These contracts establish mandatory sustainable development criteria. Some examples include EPEAT, Energy Star®, and ISO certifications. As well as compliance with legal regulations for recycling of equipment in the final stages of the lifecycle.
Please see UdeS_Sustainability_criteria_published_calls_tenders_v1.pdf (Rubrics 7 to 11) in "Additional documentation to support the submission."
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food service providers?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
The Université de Sherbrooke has leases with its food service and vending tenants. Sustainable practices are outlined in their contracts. In addition, tenants must abide by the university's Responsible Procurement Policy 2500-003.
Examples of sustainability criteria required in the university's food service leases are:
(1) Offering and promoting fair trade and/or organic products.
(2) Adopting business practices to develop responsible consumption, such as purchasing local products.
(3) Managing and reducing waste from food delivery, preparation, and consumption.
(4) Banning the sale of single-use water bottles.
Please see UdeS_Sustainability_criteria_published_calls_tenders_v1.pdf (Rubrics 12 to 17) in "Additional documentation to support the submission."
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
The Université de Sherbrooke is a member of the Fair Labor Association (FLA).
The sourcing and manufacturing of garments and linens of the University are done according to ethical standards.
Please see UdeS_Sustainability_criteria_published_calls_tenders_v1.pdf (Rubrics 18 and 19) in "Additional documentation to support the submission."
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional service providers?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
For professional services such as the audit, banking, brokerage, or consultancy, the Université de Sherbrooke requires service providers to observe sustainable practices in different rubrics (e.g., greenhouse gas reduction, efficient energy consumption, paperless transactions, recycling programs (electronics and consumables), equity-diversity-inclusion of the workforce, consumption of fair-trade products).
Moreover, the institution requires banking and financial service providers to adhere to the Responsible Investment Association (RIA) of Canada and to generally comply with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.
Please see UdeS_Sustainability_criteria_published_calls_tenders_v1.pdf (Rubrics 20 to 23) in "Additional documentation to support the submission."
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating transportation and fuels?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
The Université de Sherbrooke has a Stratégie de mobilité durable [EN: Sustainable Mobility Strategy] and a Stratégie de gestion de l'énergie et des gaz à effet de serre [EN: Energy and Greenhouse Gas Management Strategy].
Sustainability criteria are enforced when evaluating transportation service providers.
For passenger transportation (e.g., city, intercity, and chartered buses), service providers must have a vehicle (equipment) renewal plan aiming to reduce GHG. Service providers must also abide municipal anti-idling regulations. Providers are asked to compensate GHG emissions with a third-party certification body. Providers are asked to manage waste from operational activities (e.g., recycling and disposal of organics, oils, filters, plastics, metals, etc.).
For car-rental services, providers are required to offer a vehicle fleet with at least 30% of electric and/or hybrid units. In addition, at least two of these units must always be available on the campuses.
Moreover, the Université de Sherbrooke is gradually renewing its service vehicles replacing its gasoline-fuelled fleet by electric cars.
For goods transportation, the University asks providers to maximize vehicle load volume thus minimizing frequency of deliveries.
When market conditions allow, requests for tenders include criteria suggesting that contractors use certified carriers (e.g., SmartWay®).
Please see UdeS_Sustainability_criteria_published_calls_tenders_v1.pdf (Rubrics 24 to 27) in "Additional documentation to support the submission."
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.