Sustainable purchasing

SDG 12.3Sustainable purchasing

UPES's Sustainable Procurement Policy builds environmental, social and economic criteria into what the university buys and who it buys from.

• Greener products. Preference for goods and services with low environmental impact across their lifecycle, eco-friendly materials and packaging, less waste, energy use and emissions, and fewer single-use plastics.
• Fair supply chains. Suppliers are expected to respect fair labour practices, safe working conditions and human rights, and their environmental performance is taken into account.
• Fewer disposables across the supply chain. Because the policy's criteria apply to what UPES buys and who it buys from, its preference for less packaging and fewer single-use items, and its expectations on labour and environmental performance, extend to suppliers of goods and services.
• Local and small businesses. The policy favours local and regional suppliers where possible, engages small and diverse suppliers, and builds long-term partnerships with sustainable suppliers.
• Compliance and transparency. UPES follows applicable laws and standards, reports on its sourcing practices and audits them regularly.