Bury College
Sustainable & Social Procurement
Guidance
Bury College will maximise the social and
environmental benefits of procurement decisions,
in accordance with the principle of Value for
Money.
Ensuring ‘value for money’ involves much more than the ‘lowest up
front cost’. It involves considering the ‘whole life’ costs (e.g.with
respect to energy consumption, durability, reduced maintenance and
waste reduction) and reducing environmental and social risks. The
belief that these benefits are worth paying for provided the financial
cost is not excessive is also implicit.
By committing to this guidance, the college will help to conserve
energy and resources and reduce waste and pollution. It will also take
consideration of the social impact of procurement decisions. In
addition, it will meet the requirements for sustainable procurement as
covered by the Learning and Skills Council publication ‘From Here to
Sustainability’ (Sept 2005).
The college is a member of The Environmental Association for
Universities and Colleges (EAUC). The EAUC is the environmental
and sustainability champion within Further and Higher Education in
the UK.
This guidance should be read in conjunction with Bury College
Financial Regulations and Procurement guidance documents.
Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
The College Sustainable & Social Procurement Guidance
How to use this guidance
Whole life costing – selection criteria
Product & service Areas
4.1.
Stationery
4.2.
IT & office equipment
4.3.
Utilities
4.4.
Office furniture
4.5.
Catering
4.6.
Estates
5. Ethical & social procurement
6. Supplier accreditation
1. The College Sustainable & Social Procurement Guidance
As a large consumer of goods and services, the college has a key role to play in
protecting the environment. We accept that procurement decisions have the
potential to promote environmental protection. Therefore in line with the College
Financial Regulations Bury College will seek to: -
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meet and, where appropriate exceed the requirements of all relevant
legislation;
seek to reduce our consumption of materials, re-use where possible and
promote recycling and the use of recycled materials;
seek to dispose of materials in an environmentally sensitive manner and
wherever possible in line with WEEE Directives seeking certification from
suppliers where appropriate;
promote and manage energy efficiency in all our operations and
incorporate effective energy measure wherever possible;
influence our major suppliers to minimise the negative impact of their
operations on the environment;
The college will endeavour to: -
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consider goods and services, which can be manufactured, used and
disposed of in an environmentally aware way;
give preference, where items are of a similar standard and cost to, those
that are manufactured with a high recycled content;
wherever possible, specify items that can be recycled or reused;
consider the energy usage/cost of operating equipment prior to purchase;
favour suppliers that are committed to environmental improvement;
consider whole life costs of impacts when assessing equipment for
purchase;
check that suppliers hold or are actively working towards certification for its
environmental management system, e.g. ISO 14001, EMAS.
2. How to use this guidance
This guidance should be used for the procurement of all supplies, services and
works. It should also be used when establishing the conditions of a contract with
goods or/and service providers. This guidance is to help you take into account
the longer-term benefits and costs when selecting a product or item of
equipment. By reviewing the entire life-cycle (life-cycle analysis) of a product or
equipment you can choose more environmentally, and economically, sustainable
products. A life-cycle analysis includes identifying the environmental effects
during manufacture, packaging, transportation, waste and disposal issues, as
well as the environmental effects, such as energy and resource consumption,
during use.
3.
Selection criteria using whole life costing
Whole life costing requires taking account of the total cost of a purchase –
assessing not only the immediate purchase price, but other costs such as
manufacturing, energy and/or water use, length of product life and the methods
of disposal (see the Waste Hierarchy below). There are a number of recognised
standards such as energy efficiency ratings, recycled material contents, and
environmental friendliness to help you with your ‘analysis’ (see information on
some of the logos and standards to look out for, later in this document). Note,
however, many brands claim to be ‘environmentally friendly’. If a product makes
an environmental claim it should carry an explanation about why it is less harmful
to the environment than other products.
When assessing a product’s disposal options follow DEFRA’s (Department for
Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) ‘Waste Hierarchy’:
 Reduce - Only buy something when absolutely necessary.
 Re-Use - Have systems in place whereby furniture, equipment and other
office items can be re-allocated within the college instead of discarded.
 Recycle - Specify that the supplier of the item should operate or subscribe to
a take-back scheme for packaging and unwanted/spent items, which can be
re-used or recycled.
You should also aim to:
- Minimise the amount of materials consumed.
- Buy goods that are made from recycled material and/or are recyclable.
- Arrange with suppliers to minimise packaging and/or take packaging back for
reuse/recycling.
- Use more durable products.
- Maintain & repair equipment so as to extend its life.
- Buy energy efficient appliances.
- Buy goods and services from suppliers who engage in ethical procurement
4.
Product & Services Areas
Detailed guidance is given below on sustainable & social considerations for the
procurement of goods and services that the college requires
4.1
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4.2
Paper Saving Options
Create electronic letterhead for use as an alternative to pre-printed paper.
Use duplex features on laser printers and copiers. Pre-set equipment to
duplex where ever possible.
Send and store information electronically when possible. This includes email,
web site and electronic fax.
Review record retention policies and implement document imaging systems.
Other waste prevention practices that further the goal of this guidance
IT and other Office Equipment
Environmental impacts associated with IT and office equipment include: energy
consumption, materials used in the manufacture, product recyclability, packaging
and shipping, hazardous emissions, thermal emissions and noise and final
disposal under the WEEE directive. IT equipment is procured via a preferred
supplier under a consortia contract managed by CPC. The photocopier contract
is tendered under a consortia contract and managed by the Procurement team.
Sustainable criteria is addressed in the tendering process and all potential
suppliers are required to provide information about the environmental
performance of their products, in order to make a comparison.
General rules in product selection include:
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energy efficient electrical appliances (e.g. equipment with an ‘A’ or ‘B’
European Eco-Label),
energy efficient IT equipment (eg with energy star minimum standards or
higher),
photocopiers with ‘snooze’ mode,
equipment which uses less resources to operate e.g. printers and
photocopiers which print double-sided (and then set double-sided as default),
plain-paper fax machines when existing thermal fax machines require
replacement. There are a number of advantages including; the back of used
paper can be used for receiving faxes, the rolls of paper that are used in
thermal fax machines are not recyclable. Direct computer to fax technology is
even better and as PC’s are replaced this function will be available,
Consider also the durability, upgrade-ability and reparability of products prior
to purchase.
Energy star label
This is awarded to equipment/units with less than 30 watts of
energy consumption on stand-by, and a quick re-start. Note: some
Energy Star models achieve much lower energy use on stand-by
than others.
4.3
Utilities
Electricity, gas, water & waste constitute a significant expense for the college.
Cost of supply has increased by over 60% since 2004 and as such energy
conservation is of paramount importance to the college.
The following conservation measure should be adhered to wherever possible
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Switch off lights when not needed. It is not cheaper to leave them on.
Staff should be asked to switch off lights as they leave rooms and to use
natural daylight wherever possible instead of artificial lighting.
Use energy efficient light bulbs. You should replace ordinary tungsten
light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps. They last 8 times longer and
use 70% less energy. When replacing fluorescent tubes, T8 tubes (26mm
diameter) should be used wherever possible instead of the larger diameter
T12 tubes (38 mm diameter). Unfortunately, certain light fittings will only
accept T12 tubes. It is not cost effective to replace these fittings on energy
conservation grounds alone. You should wait until rewiring work takes
place in a particular area. T12 tubes should only be installed where fittings
dictate it to be necessary. As a guide, older fluorescent light fittings with
plug-in starter canisters can be fitted with T8 tubes, while those without
cannot.
Cut the power consumption of computers and ICT equipment. You
can achieve this in a number of ways. i] Activate "power down" or energy
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4.4
saving devices during the working day (screen savers do not save energy
and some use more). ii] Switch equipment off at the end of the day. iii] Buy
the most energy efficient equipment.
Don't overheat rooms. An extra 1oC in a room's temperature will
increase a heating bill by 6-10%.
Buy energy efficient appliances. Wherever possible, buy energy
efficient appliances. Look out for products which have the 'energy
efficiency logo' and are rated category 'A'.
Office Furniture
Before purchasing new furniture check the availability of second-hand furniture
within the college. To find out what is on offer contact Nina Young.
Your Department can get second hand furniture, not required by other
Departments, for free (or your Department could offer up unused items for reuse). Currently, the furniture is collected by Estates and offered to departments
free of charge and the excess is offered to schools or charities or placed into
storage. Occasionally, staff are able to purchase odd bits of furniture for personal
use at a reduced price.
For new furniture the college has a preferred supplier. As part of the tendering
process the environmental status of each company was assessed. Any new
wooden furniture must have the FSC label or equivalent.
College will not purchase:
 hazardous materials such as wood preservatives or wood treated with
preservatives containing pentachloro-phenol, lyndane or tributyltin-oxide
 building materials or furniture made from hardwoods unless certified as being
from a sustainably managed source
4.5 Catering
Environmental impacts associated with providing beverages and food within
college can best be addressed from within the Catering Contract. Environmental
impacts include the use of disposable products, single-serve products, packaging
and organic waste. Opportunities for more sustainable catering include
addressing these impacts and expanding the purchase of Fairtrade products
locally grown and/or organic foods, where possible.
Fair Trade products
Fairly traded products are those where the growers in
developing countries receive a larger share of the price
you pay. Fair trade associations and co-operatives use
methods such as fixed advanced payments and in
some cases contribute to local healthcare and education.
Procurement of Fairtrade tea, coffee, sugar etc for college catering can be
specified in the catering contract. For other activities, the purchase of Fairtrade
products should be made from a Fairtrade Supplier. Fairtrade products include
tea, coffee, cocoa, rice, fruit and sugar. Many of these are organic too.
Organically-grown food
Organic fruit and vegetables are grown without using artificial
chemicals, using methods that keep the soil in a healthy balance.
Organic dairy products and meat come from animals fed with
organic food. This approach makes organic food more
environmentally friendly than conventional food with a reduced risk
of diseases and chemical residues.
Beware of terms like 'natural', 'from the farm', 'country' etc. which have no defined
meaning. The word ‘organic’ is legally protected. The Soil Association is the main
organisation in the UK that checks 'organic' food. Look out for their logo or for a
European certification label.
Buying organic food is not always the most environmentally sound option. For
instance, local non-organic produce in a plain bag may have less impact on the
environment than, for example, organic pears shipped all the way from Chile.
However, supporting organic farming is recommended if extra cost is not
prohibitive, since organic farms are generally smaller-scale, employ more people
and receive fewer subsidies than conventional farms do.
4.6
Estates Services
The college will minimise resource, chemical, energy and water consumption in
all areas of building maintenance and office servicing. Examples of this include:
 Attaching water saving devices to bathroom and kitchen taps and cisterns.
 Selecting uncoloured, unbleached, recycled toilet paper.
 Providing hand dryers rather than paper towels
 Selecting biodegradable products when purchasing detergents & cleaning
products.
The college will not purchase any cleaning materials containing:
 More than 0.5% phosphorous
 Nitrilo-tri-acetic acid
 More than 3% of ethylene-diamino-tetra-acetate
 More than 5% by volume of chlorine
 More than 3% by volume of optical brighteners, synthetic colours and
perfumes
In consideration of building refurbishment or new build projects, the college will
build in sustainable specifications to ensure that design reflects the best available
use of resources and that energy utilisation is minimised.
5. Ethical & Social Procurement
Ethical and social considerations in procurement impact in many areas,
especially in dealing with suppliers to the college.
A clear guidance for suppliers is given below and should be communicated to all
suppliers as the minimum level that is acceptable to the college.
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Health & Safety – A healthy and safe working environment is provided for
employees, in accordance with international standards and national laws.
This includes access to clean toilet facilities, drinkable water and if
applicable, sanitary facilities for food storage. Where an employer
provides accommodation, it shall be clean, safe and meet the basic needs
of employees.
Appropriate health & safety information and training is provided to
employees.
Disciplinary Practices - Employees are treated with respect and dignity.
Physical or verbal abuse or other harassment and any other threats or
forms of intimidation are prohibited.
Working Hours – Working hours of employees comply with relevant
national law and are not excessive.
Payment – Employees understand their employment conditions and fair
and reasonable pay and conditions are provided.
Discrimination – Negative discrimination in any form is prohibited.
Freedom of Association – As far as relevant laws allow, all employees
are free to join or not to join trade unions or similar organisations.
Child & Forced labour - No person is employed who is below the
minimum legal age of employment. People under 18 years are not
employed for any hazardous work and their best interests are to be
considered at all times. In addition, forced or bonded labour is not to be
used and employees are free to leave their employment after reasonable
notice.
Equal Opportunities – All college tenders must include the Equality
questionnaire which assesses compliance with the Race Relations Act
1976, The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 ( Amended 2005 ), The Sex
Discrimination Act 1975, The Equal Pay Act 1970 and makes an obligation
upon the supplier to declare any prosecutions in any of these areas. The
Questionnaire is available via the Procurement Team or via Staffnet.
SME Agenda - In addition to the above, college procurement needs to
ensure that consideration is given to community benefits i.e. where
appropriate and where financial regulations allow, the use of local SME’s
will be encouraged provided value for money can be demonstrated.
6. Supplier Accreditation
When assessing potential suppliers’ sustainable accreditation, the International
standard ISO14001 demonstrates auditable environmental policies and
processes. In addition, the following symbols are indicative of accreditation within
an area of supply over and above those already outlined within this document.
Ecolabel
The EU eco-label scheme, as laid down in Council Regulation (EEC)
880/92, is one element of a wide strategy aimed at promoting
sustainable production and consumption. The objective of sustainable
consumption is to reduce or at least contain the impact of
consumption on the environment. With this aim in mind, the strategy
embraces the promotion of environmentally aware behaviour patterns, in
particular by identifying and promoting "green" products. The purpose of the
Community eco-label is to influence the market by guiding consumers toward
products with a reduced environmental impact.
The award of the eco-label means that successful applicants are permitted to use
the official flower logo on their approved product. Thus a consumer in a
supermarket who is faced with a line of different brands of laundry detergents (for
instance) will be able to pick out, by means of this visual logo, the one or two
which achieve a high standard of environmental performance compared with the
rest of the field.
Recycled/recyclability
This symbol (the Mobius Loop) means that a product can be
recycled or, if a percentage figure is included, it means that it
contains recycled material. If the symbol is on a plastic product
and there is number between 1 & 6 in the middle this indicates
what type of plastic it is – for the purposes of recycling.
EMAS
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The Eco Management & Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a voluntary
scheme to help organisations improve their management of
environmental issues. It is designed to bring about:
 Improvements in environmental performance
 Improvements in the quality of service delivery
 Financial savings
Better management control
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A systematic and consistent approach to environmental management across
the whole organisation
The possibility of external validation of environmental performance.
Corporate Environmental Guidance
The requirements of achieving EMAS or ISO14001 status can be quite onerous
for small companies. In lieu of an environmental management system, alternative
criteria to look for is whether or not the company has an Environmental Guidance
which leads to practical action to reduce environmental impact, with respect to
energy, water, waste, pollution and/or resources used.
In all cases, the company/supplier must be able to demonstrate the
environmental claims they are making.
Further Advice
Further advice on any of the issues contained within this guidance is available
from John Brotherton, Director of Estates & Sustainability.