News

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint Through the Supply Chain 

Climate change. It is here, it is happening, and we can expect its impact—on the economy, the environment, and society— will only increase. According to the UK-based Carbon Trust, cutting carbon in the supply chain is the next critical stage in the business contribution to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change.

A product’s carbon footprint is the measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere throughout a product’s life-cycle, from raw material extraction and production to manufacturing, use, and disposal. Everything we purchase has a carbon footprint: shampoo, a computer, a new car, food, and taking a ride on a passenger jet.

So what if you are a purchaser. How can you go about reducing your organization’s carbon footprint? First, you will need to uncover the carbon “hotspots” in your supply chain, and then prioritize areas where reductions can be achieved. Using the best available data, look at high and low spend areas that have a high carbon reduction impact, and products and services where there are opportunities for quick wins, such as green power certificates. Once priorities are in hand, you will need to understand the processes and operations of the companies from which you buy, seeking to source goods and services either from suppliers with good carbon management practices, or working collaboratively with suppliers to reduce their products’ carbon footprints.

The next in the series of Sustainability Purchasing Network workshops to be held March 22, 2007 will provide purchasers with practical know-how on achieving carbon footprint reductions through purchasing.

Locals Reduce Carbon Footprint through Purchasing

Among examples of local good practice, TransLink recently purchased 228 new, more efficient electric trolleys for their downtown Vancouver routes to replace their existing fleet of electric trolleys. Once in service, these new electric trolleys are expected to reduce the current use of electricity by 33.3% on each route. What’s more, the entire trolley fleet runs on electricity offset by 100% BC Hydro Green Power Certificates (GPCs). The use of GPCs alone represents 7,560 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) avoided, which is equivalent to removing 2,100 cars off the road per year.

The City of Vancouver formally adopted a Corporate Climate Change Action Plan in early 2004 as part of the City’s commitment to climate change and the Kyoto Accord. The City and Council made a commitment to reduce emissions from its own facilities, fleets, and operations, with a target of 20% below 1990 levels by or before 2010.

The City’s purchasing department encourages suppliers to convert their fleets to fuel efficient models and alternative fuels, mandates “idle free driving behaviour,” and educates vendors on building retrofits that will save energy and money. The City recently awarded a courier cartage service contract to a company that committed to fuel efficient vehicles, measurable emission reduction targets, an idle free program, the use of bicycle service in the downtown core, and ongoing continuous improvement including driver training programs.

In 2005, Vancity Credit Union introduced a new corporate target to become carbon neutral by 2010. As part of its strategy to do so, Vancity recently included a performance standard in ‘requests for proposals’ which requires suppliers to specify how they and their services work to minimize their carbon footprint.

Since 2003, Vancouver-based Novex Couriers has added 17 Honda hybrid vehicles and three natural gas vans to their fleet. Novex states that the greener fleet saves over one kg of CO2 per delivery, which represents a total savings of over 270 kg of CO2 per day when compared to a traditional fleet (Novex, 2006).

Nagoya City to Introduce “Green Delivery” Policy

Information provided by Japan for Sustainability (JFS) describes how Nagoya, a major city in central Japan, will introduce a system to encourage "green delivery," aiming to promote low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles. Under the system, the city will request that, effective April 1, 2007, relevant departments will ensure that suppliers and delivery companies use eco-friendly vehicles to deliver goods under purchase or lease contracts with the city government when issuing tenders or orders for contracts to the city, including facilities such as ward offices, schools, and hospitals.

JFS describes how Nagoya, a major city in central Japan, will introduce a system to encourage "green delivery," aiming to promote low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles.

Suppliers will be expected to require their delivery companies use low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles, or choose companies that do so. Delivery companies will need to use approved vehicles for delivering goods to the city, to carry a certificate of green delivery, and to put green delivery vehicle stickers on their approved vehicles. They will be allowed to use unapproved vehicles only if they submit a notification that they have plans to introduce green delivery. Once they submit a declaration of their commitment to use green delivery vehicles, the names of businesses implementing green delivery will be listed on the city's web site, along with notification that they are implementing green delivery or using eco-friendly vehicles.

Since green delivery means fewer emissions per vehicle, the system is expected to be highly effective in reducing the environmental impacts of the city’s operations. Similar systems have already been introduced in other major Japanese cities such as Osaka, Kobe, and Saitama.

Updates

Network Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Sustainability Purchasing Network founders, Charlene Easton, Tim Reeve and Coro Strandberg along with the Network Secretariat, the Fraser Basin Council, take this opportunity to acknowledge the generous support, solid contributions, and enthusiastic commitment of Network sponsors, participants and Steering Committee members.

The Network has had many fruitful successes in its start-up year in 2006 and looks forward to a very positive and productive 2007.

Steering Committee and Staff 

Richard Kouwenhoven of Hemlock Printers, Steering Committee Chair, extends a special welcome to Michael O’Grady, Purchasing, BC Hydro and Blair Seefried, Manager Procurement, Bell Canada who joined the Steering Committee as new members. The role of the Steering Committee is to provide guidance to the further development of the Sustainability Purchasing Network.

The Network welcomes Amy Robinson who is the new Sustainability Purchasing Network Coordinator. A warm thanks to Barb Everdene for her service with the Network and best wishes and safe travels as she begins new work in Afghanistan.

The Sustainability Purchasing Network supports organizations in their efforts to develop and improve their sustainability purchasing practices, and to ultimately influence positive environmental, social, ethical, and economic impacts in BC and beyond.

Network Events

Workshops

Workshop: Reducing Purchasing-Related Carbon Emissions, March 22, 2007, 8am–1 pm

This workshop targets organizations seeking practical policies and tools to reduce climate change impacts through purchasing decisions. Participants will explore the business case for reducing carbon emissions, tools to identify carbon ‘hot spots’ in products/services, and strategies to work with suppliers. The workshop will include case studies of organizations who have successfully tackled this challenge.

Workshop: Social and Environmental Considerations of Purchases: Your Tendering Toolkit, May 17, 2007, 8 am–1 pm

This workshop targets organizations looking to improve their sustainable purchasing practices. The workshop introduces an integrated tendering toolkit which communicates clear supplier requirements, enables the evaluation of purchasing choices, and provides mechanisms for managing supplier relationships to deliver high sustainability performance. Participants will learn how to integrate sustainability performance criteria and evaluation into the standard tendering process.

Learning Circles

Learning Circle: The Social Side of Sustainability Purchasing, February 15, 2007, 10–11:30 am

Join other purchasers in a small group setting to exchange best practice, and discuss challenges and opportunities related to social and ethical considerations in purchasing policy and practice.

To register for Network Events, visit our website, or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it us.

Other Events

Ethical Purchasing Forum, February 23-24, 2007

The BC Institute for Co-operative Studies and a group of collaborators present a forum to bring together co-operatives, businesses, activists, faith groups, academics, indigenous organizations, farmers, labour groups and politicians to discuss enhancing ethical trade in the Victoria region. Click for more information. 

BC Environment Industry Association 2010 Procurement Workshop, February 28, 2007, 9 am–12:30 pm

The BC 2010 Commerce Centre and the BC Environment Industry Association will host a repeat of last year’s highly successful 2010 Procurement Workshop focused on sustainable business opportunities associated the 2010 Winter Games. Optional one-on-one interviews with 2010 Commerce Centre staff will run from 12:30-3:30 pm. Click here for more information.

EPIC Sustainable Living Expo, March 16-18, 2007

The EPIC Expo will celebrate leading companies who care about their consumers, the community and the planet. On offer will be a new breed of environmentally friendly, smart and stylish products and services. Click here for more information.

Resource Corner

Network Resources

Network Releases Guide to the Business Case and Benefits of Sustainability Purchasing

The Sustainability Purchasing Network has produced the Guide to the Business Case and Benefits of Sustainability Purchasing. This resource tool is designed to help those starting out on the path to develop sustainability purchasing policies/programs, or are extending social, environmental and ethical considerations to new areas of purchasing in their organizations. It is a resource for building the business case for sustainability purchasing decisions, and includes a range of financial and non-financial benefits and costs of sustainability purchasing. It is intended for use as a guidance document for organizations developing internal business cases, with examples and case studies to help organizations tailor the business case to their unique circumstances and priorities. Click here to download the Business Guide.

Other Resources

Carbon Trust

The report “Carbon footprints in the supply chain: The next step for business” describes a radical new way for businesses to cut carbon emissions through their purchasing decisions. Click here for the full report. 

BC Hydro Power Smart Green Power Certificates (GPCs)

Available for business customers throughout BC, GPCs are a simple, practical way for organizations to ensure their electricity use is environmentally friendly. For each $1 spent on GPCs, BC Hydro will add $1 of green power to the grid. Click here for more information.

City of Vancouver

The City of Vancouver is providing leadership on climate change response. Check out their Community and Corporate Climate Change Action plans by clicking here.

North American Green Purchasing Initiative’s Self-Assessment Tool (Eco-S.A.T.)

Eco-S.A.T. is designed to help professional purchasers evaluate their organization's environmental purchasing initiatives and identify opportunities for improvement by making the most efficient use of materials, by producing a minimum of waste and pollution, and by stimulating the use of post-consumer material. Click here for more info.

Contact Information

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