2018 Chapman Environmental Audit: Sustainable Purchasing Policy

Chapman University maintains its commitment to a “campus culture that promotes a sustainable future” in its Sustainability Policy, which was implemented in 2014. However, the University currently has no mechanism to ensure this sustainable decision-making process occurs. One of the surest ways to guarantee this change is to enact a University-wide sustainable purchasing policy that ensures consistency between departments. Institutions benefit from sustainable procurement by receiving more efficient and long-lasting products, protecting and enhancing the local and global environment, supporting innovative technologies, creating a diverse supply chain, and gaining a competitive edge as a leading institution. A few cost-benefit analyses were conducted comparing products and materials currently purchased by the University to more environmentally-preferable alternatives to allow the University to make the most socially-optimal decisions that maximize the net social benefits for the campus and wider society regarding procurement practices. Additionally, campus members including faculty, staff, and students were surveyed to better understand the general attitude toward sustainable procurement on campus and how this support has changed since the last procurement audit took place in 2013. A few recommendations of this chapter of the 2018 Environmental Audit include implementing a sustainable purchasing policy to prioritize environmentally-preferable products when they can be acquired at similar total value (taking into account quality and Life Cycle information) and prioritizing products that are third-party certified