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Sustainable Purchasing

student on campus fairtrade designation day — UVic community member celebrates Love-A-Mug week with Fairtrade Coffee Coupons

UVic's purchasing decisions play a crucial role in bolstering the local economy and investing in a climate-forward industry.

Visit Purchasing Services to learn more about procurement at UVic.

For detailed information on sustainable purchasing, see below:

Sustainable Procurement at UVic

Sustainable procurement means making choices that support environmental and social sustainability. At UVic, everyone can contribute through their daily activities on campus. Our strategic framework emphasizes prioritizing people, place, and planet. We aim to support the campus community through intentional land use, Indigenous collaboration, climate considerations, affordable housing, and sustainable purchasing policies.

How do I practice sustainable procurement?

Visit the Purchasing Services to identify what you are buying, and the processes involved.

Review the sustainable procurement initiative

Importance of Sustainable Purchasing

Sustainable purchasing is key to managing the entry of goods and services on campus. By reducing what we buy, being intentional about our purchases, and managing them responsibly at the end of their life, we can significantly impact campus waste, the local economy, marginalized communities, future generations, and our commitments to the UN’s Global Goals and Net Zero emissions.

Canada’s Circular Economy

A circular economy focuses on maximizing value and eliminating waste. Strategies include:

Decreasing virgin material use and increasing renewable and recycled materials.
Reducing environmental impacts through carbon neutrality and non-toxic materials.
Shifting from linear supply chains to circular ones that provide ongoing services.
Moving from "waste management" to "resource recovery" to achieve zero landfill waste.

In 2023, Canada released a Circular Economy Action Plan, identifying sustainable procurement as a key enabler to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, meet UN Sustainable Development Goals, and halt nature loss by 2030. UVic's Sustainable Purchasing Policy aligns with this plan to support a circular economy and economic prosperity.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call to action to protect our planet while promoting prosperity for everyone, everywhere.

"At UVic we care deeply about these goals and are committed to driving the critical social, economic and environmental change needed to reach them." - UVic President Kevin Hall

Sustainable purchasing principles support this by:

Promote Sustainable Public Procurement: Align with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
Encourage Sustainable Practices: Urge suppliers to adopt sustainable practices and undergo Ecovadis assessment (SDG 12).
Support Fair Trade: Prioritize fair trade products to ensure ethical relationships with producers from developing countries (SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals).