Environmentally and Socially-Conscious Procurement (ESP)
ESP (Environmentally and Socially-conscious Procurement) at the ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú is meant to foster sustainable and ethical procurement practices across all departments. ESP aims to integrate environmental and social considerations into purchasing decisions, ensuring that the University's procurement activities contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.
The ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú strives to provide sustainable purchasing options with the following understanding and process. UM does not require purchasers to buy the most ecological or sustainable product. Ultimately, it is up to the purchaser to make a decision that aligns with their needs and values. Conventionally, when a purchasing decision is made within the UM procurement framework, assuming all vendors are providing a similar product, the lowest price item will most likely be identified as the preferred choice. However, when a purchaser defines sustainability criteria as necessary (ie: 30% post-consumer recycled content or Green Seal certified), the search criteria for vendors and products is refined to prioritize these criteria. The following resources are intended to assist UM purchasing decisions so environmental and social factors are considered and prioritized when possible.
Key Concepts in Sustainable Procurement
Definitions
Customer: The person placing the order for acquisition of goods, or the person on whose behalf the order is placed and who is responsible for the selection and use of the goods.
Eco-label: A label used to identify products that conform to recognized environmental standards.
Environmentally and Socially Responsible Purchasing (ESRP): The purchase of products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.
Recycling: To treat or process (used or waste materials) to make suitable for reuse.
“Recycled Content”: The total percentage of recovered material in a product, including pre-consumer and post-consumer materials.
Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Fair Trade: Trading designation whose goal is to help producers in developing countries receive a fair price for their products to reduce poverty, provide for the ethical treatment of workers, and promote environmentally sustainable practices.
Green Seal: This certification ensures that a product or service meets a rigorous performance, health, and environmental criteria in Green Seal’s health and environmental leadership standards.
Life Cycle Cost (LCC): An approach that assesses the financial cost of an asset over its life cycle including initial capital costs, maintenance costs, operating costs, and the asset’s residual value at the end of its life. Thus, the Life Cycle Cost is the cost to the University or program of owning an asset.
Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA): The methodology for analyzing products or assets. An LCCA answers the question ‘what is the total cost of ownership?’
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA): The methodology to assess and quantify environmental impacts associated with all of the stages of the life-cycle of a program, facility, or asset. An LCA really answers the question ‘what is the environmental impact?’
EPEAT (Electronics Product Environmental Assessment Tool): Measures the social and environmental impacts of electronics and technology products from extraction to end of life. EPEAT ranks products as Gold, Silver, or Bronze based on social and environmental performance criteria.
Energy Star: Certification provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which applies to electronics that meet specific energy saving criteria which intend to reduce emissions to the environment.
Best Practices and Important Considerations for Purchasing
- Responsible resource consumption (only purchase what you need)
- Evaluate non-renewable products to reduce single use and linear consumption
- Consider products that support a more circular lifecycle. For example, can items be reused or recycled instead of discarded after use?
- Support environmentally and socially friendly alternatives
- Consider and purchase options that are less harmful to the environment or society
- Preference for socially and environmentally friendly labels such as Fair Trade, Green Seal, and other reputable eco-labels.
- Minimize waste, both by avoiding excessive packaging and by minimizing waste generated during product use
- Maximizing material reuse
- Whenever possible, encourage material reuse of products through appropriate redistribution, repair, recycling, and composting.
Purchaser Recommendations & Preferences
When making purchases, we have the opportunity to influence and support business practices that align with our values and principles. In some cases, we may need to spend more money to choose products that meet this goal. As sustainability advocates, we hope this type of investment is something that can be planned for and prioritized so we can support vendors who align with our sustainability values rather than distributing our limited resources to unknown companies and people who may not.
A few principles and questions to consider:
- Is the product high quality and will it last?
- Is the product a single use item?
- Do we really need it?
- Are there better alternatives?
- Does the product have excessive packaging?
- Is the product local, regional, or remote? If not, is there a local/regional option that is a reasonable cost?
- Transportation and delivery impact should be considered.
- Does the product or company adhere to ethical sustainability or social standards?
- Is the product energy efficient?
- Is the product made from renewable or non-toxic materials?
- Does the product use excessive water or energy when in use?
- What will happen to the product when it breaks or no longer works as intended? Will disposing of this item cost UM money?
- Does the supplier adhere to fair labor practices and ethical sourcing standards?
- Is the supplier transparent about their supply chain?
- Does the company or product qualify for environmental or social standards such as ENERGY STAR, Fair Trade, EPEAT, or other third-party verified standards?
$0-$10,000 purchases
All UM customers should try to make small dollar purchases that are
environmentally and socially responsible. Seek out products that meet the
best practices and suggestions outlined within these guidelines when
purchasing with a pro-card or via GrizMart. Note that all purchases
above $5,000 are considered capital assets and must be documented as
such with Business Services for inventory. If you have questions, please ask
your purchasing agent for recommendations.
$10,000 to $100,000 purchases
Purchases in this category may elicit questions about whether the purchase of this scale is necessary. For example, are you replacing item(s) that can be repaired? Can the size or quantity of the item(s) be reduced? Can the item(s) be rented or possibly accessed through another department that can share access to their assets or equipment? These questions may apply to purchases regardless of their cost or value.
Greater than $100,000 purchases
The same criteria and considerations for the above categories applies here as well. The
significance and potential impact of purchases in this category has the potential for greater impact. For example, if purchasing locally, the social and economic contribution to a local business is much more likely to stimulate the local economy than a purchase to a major corporation or vendor from a distant or unknown location. Ongoing service agreements are an important component to keep major investments working as intended.
Categorical Purchases
The following criteria are used by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking and Rating System (STARS) to help encourage thoughtful procurement strategies and criteria to improve our purchasing decisions on campus.
Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA)
It is best practice to evaluate the total cost of ownership, encompassing purchase price, installation, operation, maintenance, and disposal costs for the items we are considering.
When issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs), we may create a preference for vendors who can provide detailed LCCA information to facilitate informed decision-making. This approach aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility, ensuring that our investments deliver maximum value over their entire life cycle.
Chemically intensive products or services (cleaning products)
Whenever possible, UM programs and departments should prioritize cleaning products and services that are third-party certified as environmentally safe to the environment and the service workers who use these products. Examples of preferred certifications include: Green Seal, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, U.S. EPA Safer Choice labeled, and ecolabeling recognized and approved by AASHE.
Consumable office products (paper, office supplies)
Whenever possible, UM programs and departments should prioritize the purchase of at least 30% post-consumer recycled paper. Procured paper should be certified to meet sustainability standards by the Forest Stewardship Council, Chlorine Free Products Association, and Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
The Managed Print program has greatly reduced energy and paper use by removing desk-side printers and centralized the shared-use printers located in centralized areas across the campus.
Furniture and furnishings (desks, chairs, accessories)
Whenever possible, UM procurement decisions that involve campus furniture or furnishings should follow best practices. Criteria for this area include the following considerations:
- Non-toxic Materials: Prioritizing low VOC paints and finishes free from chemicals like formaldehyde and off gassing glues used in carpets or adhesives which degrade indoor air quality.
- Sustainable Materials: Prioritize FSC certified products, locally sourced materials, and recycled materials when appropriate.
- Production Process: Prioritize products from manufacturers who use energy efficient practices including waste reduction strategies.
- Durability and Longevity: Prioritize well-constructed, durable furnishings that will last and can also be repaired.
- ENERGY STAR rated appliances and products.
IT and equipment (computers, printers, monitors, peripherals)
IT equipment purchases at UM should always prioritize environmental and sustainability criteria such as EPEAT certification and ENERGY STAR certification as a standard.
Food service providers (vendors, concessions, etc.)
UM Dining prioritizes social and environmental criteria in its purchasing including: Organic, Fair Trade, local sourcing, recycling, industrial composting, dietary considerations, cultural considerations, nutrition considerations, and prioritizing scratch ingredients over processed and preserved products.
Garments and linens (tablecloths, napkins, uniforms, etc.)
UM recognizes the impact of conventional garment and linen production and prioritizes sustainable alternatives when possible. Some preferences include purchasing Organic cotton Griz Gear apparel, selecting textiles that are produced without hazardous chemicals, and using non-toxic cleaners when laundering. Preference is given to the purchase of recycled or re-purposed materials when possible as an alternative to virgin materials.
Professional Service providers
Whenever possible, UM prioritizes conventionally disadvantaged businesses that are local to UM over distant businesses and companies. For example, UM contracts with local farmers, ranchers, and producers over industrial producers whenever possible in order to reduce the carbon footprint of food brought to campus and to support ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú-owned business.
Transportation and Fuels
The Associated Students of UM (ASUM) has invested significantly in fossil fuel alternatives in their transportation operations. UDASH, UM’s transit operation, is phasing out diesel buses in favor of all electric buses. Additionally, UM is putting the final touches on a Combined Heat & Power (CHP) facility that will significantly reduce the emissions footprint associated with scope 2 emissions (purchased electricity).
UM Supporting Programs
The following UM programs contribute to our collective effort to use university funds in a way that further our sustainability goals and values.
UM Surplus Program
The UM Surplus Program was reorganized in the spring of 2023 with the hiring of a dedicated manager and program goals to account for, track, redistribute, and sell items no longer desired by the University. If you have an item that you would like to get rid of, please follow the procedure described on the Business Services webpage for surplus pick-up and removal.
If you need still usable office furniture, supplies, or electronics connect with the UM Surplus Program to learn more about what is being held in the current inventory and how to schedule a viewing of these items. The Surplus Property Warehouse Manager can be reached at this contact: Mae1.ikerd@umontana.edu
Electronics Recycling
UM sends all state-owned electronics which have reached the end of their useful life to a R2-certified electronics recycling facility. Before items leave campus, all personal information is erased or destroyed. Once received by our R2-certified recycler, valuable components are repurposed or resold without sending any materials away to communities overseas.
For all electronic surplus or recycling, including items such as computers, monitors, printers (not photocopiers), ink and toners, please refer to the Electronics Recycling page for more information.
SWAG (Stuff We All Get)  
“Swag” generally refers to advertising or promotional materials that are distributed by university programs to try and make a connection with a prospective or current student. Many of these items do not have long-term value and end up being discarded. A few examples of swag include pens, event t-shirts, buttons, stress balls, water bottles, and hats. The Office of Sustainability has made an effort in recent years to call attention to the inherent (but accidental) waste generated by the purchase of swag and recommends offering more creative engagement and promotional material to students. To learn more about efforts to rethink the use of swag on campus, contact the Sustainability Engagement Coordinator Tayli.hillyard@mso.umt.edu.
UM Vendor Code of Conduct
UM’s Environmentally and Socially-conscious Procurement (ESP) efforts build upon the existing UM Vendor Code of Conduct for ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú Vendors. In this document, “general principles” identify the ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú’s longstanding commitment to sound ethical and socially responsible business practices. Socially responsible activities include initiatives related to the environment, human rights, safety, financial responsibility, ethics, improving the welfare of society and the quality of life, diversity, equity, justice and fairness and avoidance of harm. As an extension, UM procurement “encourages practices” which acknowledge and consider the following criteria:
- Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
- Fair Labor Standards: Wages, Hours, Leaves, and Child Labor
- Health and Safety
- Forced Labor
- Harassment or Abuse
- Employee Compensation
- International Human Rights
- Environmental Protection: The University will strive to do business with vendors who engage in environmentally sustainable practices and production methods and who meet well-established certification standards.
For more information or to connect with someone in the Office of Sustainability who can work with you and your department on department-specific purchasing guidelines or preferences, please see our website.
Proposed UM ESP Vendor Code of Conduct
The ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú is committed to fostering a culture of sustainability and social responsibility. This Vendor Code of Conduct outlines the standards we expect from our business partners, exceeding basic legal compliance to support our mission of environmental stewardship and social equity.
Environmental Sustainability
- Resource Efficiency: Vendors must optimize the use of resources, including energy, water, and raw materials, to reduce waste and minimize environmental impact.
- Waste Management: Vendors are required to implement waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices. Preference is given to partners using compostable and recyclable packaging.
- Pollution Prevention: Vendors should actively prevent pollution and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
- Sustainable Sourcing: Vendors must prioritize sustainable sourcing of materials and products, ensuring they are ethically and responsibly obtained.
Social Responsibility
- Labor Practices: Vendors must adhere to fair labor practices, including fair wages, reasonable working hours, and safe working conditions. Child labor and forced labor are strictly prohibited.
- Non-Discrimination: Vendors must uphold principles of non-discrimination, ensuring equal opportunities regardless of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.
- Community Engagement: Vendors are encouraged to engage with and support local communities, contributing to social and economic development.
- Health and Safety: Vendors must comply with all applicable health and safety regulations, providing a safe and healthy work environment for their employees.
Compliance and Monitoring
- Transparency: Vendors are required to maintain transparency in their operations and provide necessary documentation to demonstrate compliance with this Code of Conduct.
- Continuous Improvement: Vendors should strive for continuous improvement in their social and environmental practices, regularly reviewing and enhancing their sustainability initiatives.
- Audits and Assessments: The ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú reserves the right to conduct audits and assessments to ensure vendor compliance with this Code of Conduct. Non-compliance may result in the termination of business relationships.