Responsible Catalogue Purchasing
Approved Suppliers
Items purchased through a managed process, within the scope of the Procurement team, include considerations for responsible purchasing practices, including supply chain due diligence on social, environmental and governance issues. This supports the requirement for value as defined in Financial Procedure 15.
Access to the product range from approved suppliers are available to staff through catalogues on the OPeRA e-Procurement System this facilitates smaller purchases at a departmental level, where there is less direct influence and guidance available on how to consider the benefits of always looking for the most eco-friendly and ethical suppliers.
What is "Responsible Procurement"?
When the traditional approach of getting value for money considers the upfront cost of an item, compared to similar products on the market. The more circular, responsible approach supports the sustainability goals of the University and optimises the environmental, social, and economic impacts over the life cycle of the product or service.
Responsible Purchasing Guidelines
When making a catalogue purchase, the purchase can be made more sustainable by considering the packaging options available, the delivery options, how the product can be made to last longer, whether the product can be easily recycled at end of life, and also the value for money.
- Consolidating deliveries is something that many larger businesses offer. This is probably more easily achieved using stores, and ordering ahead of time.
- This is a way to reduce emissions from transport
- This reduces the amount of vehicles on campus
- This can reduce transit packaging through efficient packing of items by the supplier.
- Packaging is often required to ensure safe delivery of a product, but could ordering a larger pack size reduce the packaging to product ratio?
- Ordering larger pack sizes often reduces the price and the packaging
- Ask for lower packaging options
- Ensure all packaging is recycled, or even reused
- Increase the product life, implement the circular economy
- The SEM faculty use LabCup for their COSHH compliance but this also allows other research groups to check if the chemical they may need very little of is also on site.
- Don't over specialise, ordering non-branded stationery will mean it can be in use for longer!
- End of Life considerations
- Mixed material objects can't be recycled - they need to be split out first!
- Recyclable items that are contaminated with food or chemicals aren't recyclable - are alternatives available?
- Batteries - rechargeable batteries over single use, and ensure all batteries are disposed of safely.
- Is there a alternative to the single use item, that may cost more initially but last much long