Our Investigating Impact series continues to explore how the university鈥檚 alignment with a selection of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is contributing to a better future for us all.
The amount of raw materials required to meet the demands of global consumption continues to grow exponentially. Current projections show the global material footprint is expected to reach 180 billion tons in 2050 鈥� four times the agreed sustainable threshold. By leveraging their collective multi-billion-dollar buying power, colleges and universities can play a part in minimizing consumption.
鈥淵ou can't just accept the status quo,鈥� says Monty Thibeault, director of Dalhousie鈥檚 Procurement Department. 鈥淵ou have to look for ways to do things differently.鈥�
When it comes to procurement, doing things differently could mean having a flexible approach. While the university鈥檚 Purchasing Code of Conduct includes an overarching statement on sustainability, the department works with each purchaser to figure out the sustainability criteria that鈥檚 needed for their circumstance. To help guide decisions, the Procurement Department and the Office of Sustainability have developed a for purchasing at the university.
鈥淎ny procurement we do is really a collaboration,鈥� explains Thibeault. 鈥淲e seek a lot of input from the purchaser to determine what the right scope is and to get the right solution for Dalhousie.鈥�
Procurement also ensures that the entire life cycle of a product is taken into consideration 鈥� in other words, the responsibility for the purchase doesn鈥檛 end when the deal is done.听
鈥淭he procurement cycle is not just buying things. We look at the total life cycle,鈥� says Thibeault. 鈥淭hat includes maintenance throughout its life and eventually disposal. We want to make sure the assets we buy are reused or disposed of in an environmentally sustainable way.鈥�
听Making an impact on Responsible Consumption and Production
By approaching procurement from a collaborative, life-cycle perspective, Dalhousie鈥檚 practices are aligned with , which is targeting improvements in resource efficiency; a reduction in waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse; and the creation of more sustainable procurement practices.听
Several procurement initiatives, including the sustainable checklist and the surplus materials bidding system, were submitted as evidence for this year's . The annual ranking assesses universities around the world on their contributions toward achieving the UN SDGs. Last year鈥檚 submission was Dalhousie鈥檚 first for the ranking related to Responsible Consumption and Production, which resulted in Dalhousie ranking 53rd (of 503) globally and 10th nationally.
This year鈥檚 ranking, which is due out in April, will consider the strength of university research related to Responsible Consumption and Production and operational procurement life cycle management 鈥� from purchasing policies to the amount of waste that gets recycled.听
听Maximizing reuse to minimize waste
Dalhousie is a leader in extending the life cycle of the materials it buys. Since the Disposal of Surplus Equipment Policy was created nearly 40 years ago, Procurement has been managing a surplus materials bidding system to offer up equipment, furniture, and supplies that were purchased with university funds and are no longer needed. This unique system allows the university to maximize the opportunity for reuse of items and minimize the amount of material that enters the waste stream. 听
鈥淲e work with all university departments to promote assets, that are safe and able to be reused, on our surplus website,鈥� explains Thibeault. 鈥淲ith furniture like chairs, desk units and those types of things, we鈥檙e able to redistribute a lot within the university. And if we can鈥檛, then the public has a crack at some of this stuff too. That allows us to get some cost back to the university to cover our administration. Whether it's a cabinet or a vehicle, we have processes in place to ensure our disposal practices are transparent. And anything we can鈥檛 sell is recycled or disposed of appropriately with help from Facilities Management.鈥�
Initiatives like the surplus materials bidding system are making a substantial difference in reducing the amount of waste generated by the university. In 2019-20, 70 per cent of Dalhousie鈥檚 waste was diverted from the landfill.听
鈥淭hat's a great thing that鈥檚 really come out of a university culture shift,鈥� Thibeault says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really focused on ensuring that we're being responsible with how we manage our goods from the time we buy them right through the time we dispose of them.鈥�
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