Procurement
There is a large potential for Carleton University to influence change by using the university’s purchasing power to influence suppliers and service providers.
Carleton University currently has a preference for products and services that are shown to be better for the environment. There is a large potential for Carleton University to influence change by using the university’s purchasing power to influence suppliers and service providers.
For example in 2010, Carleton specified within an RFP for the provision of desk top computers that they needed to be EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) certified – that is meet a strict set of environmental criteria for production and performance.
Carleton’s influence may also be multiplied by purchasing products and services as part of a purchasing pool (joining with other universities or institutions to bulk purchase items that meet environmental and economic criteria).
Procurement also currently manages the surplus inventory program whereby departments that have surplus goods can sell the items through an online bid program. This is an excellent initiative that could be dramatically expanded.