Our commitment to sustainability
The University of Cambridge is committed to making a positive impact through outstanding environmental sustainability performance. We are the first University in the world to announce a Science Based Target to reduce energy related carbon emissions to absolute zero by 2048 with an aspiration to achieve this by 2038.
Procurement Services is working closely with the University of Cambridge Environmental Sustainability Team to ensure that the institution:
- Complies with all relevant legislation and regulatory requirements
- Promotes sustainable assessment of suppliers and contractors
- Procures sustainable products and services
- Reduces the environmental sustainability impacts of construction and refurbishment projects.
- Includes environmental, economic and social aspects when specifying specific goods or services.
- Includes sustainable criteria when evaluating offers from potential suppliers
- Promotes awareness of sustainable issues and considerations within the user community
Our plans for implementing Sustainable Procurement
Our aim is to meet ISO 20400 standards for Sustainable Procurement, so that our purchases have 'the most positive environmental, social and economic impacts possible over [their] entire lifecycle' (ISO20400).
Obtaining external ISO20400 assessment will enable our procurement and purchasing activities to contribute to the University's wider sustainability commitments.
- View the ISO 20400 standard on the BSI ('British Standards Institution') website, accessible for University of Cambridge staff (search ISO20400).
- See the Supplier Code of Conduct which sets out sustainability principles and minimum expectations of a supplier to the University