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Table 9: Green Procurement
Meeting Policy Requirements
1. Has the department incorporated environmental performance considerations in its procurement decision-making processes?
| Yes |
2. Summary of initiatives to incorporate environmental performance considerations in procurement decision-making processes:
Based on the levels of awareness, the major initiatives were in the areas of tracking and training.
Awareness: In the 2007 Health Canada/Public Health Agency of Canada Green Procurement Survey, approximately half of respondents reported an awareness of the Treasury Board (TB) Policy on Green Procurement. Only 6% claimed to be “very” familiar. Consequently, the penetration of green purchasing was still low. Only 24% of purchasers reported that at least 60% of their purchases had been subject to environmental considerations. It is planned that a second Green Procurement Survey will be conducted in Fall 2009 to measure progress.
Tracking: A mandatory green procurement field was incorporated into the Agency’s financial system. For each purchase, the cost centre administrator must indicate if environmental considerations were factored into the decision.
Training: All Procurement Functional Specialists had taken the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) course C215 - Green Procurement by March 31, 2008. A section on Green Procurement was incorporated into the in-house contracting training offered to Agency Cost Centre Administrators. The mandatory Health Canada and CSPS courses for Cost Centre Managers also featured a green procurement module. In addition, Agency staff was encouraged to select green travel options such as video conferencing and teleconferencing.
3. Results achieved:
Tracking of green purchases was initiated in February 2009. A pilot business intelligence software project was begun. This project will produce a dashboard for Directors including progress on green procurement. (Full implementation is expected by March 2010.)
4. Contributions to facilitate government-wide implementation of green procurement:
The Agency participated in the Green Procurement Forum lead by the Office of Greening Government Operations. The objective of the Forum is to share ideas and best practices related to green procurement within the government context.
Green Procurement Targets
5. Has the department established green procurement targets?
One has been established - see question 7 below. (Additional targets are in progress.)
6. Are these green procurement targets the same as those identified in your Sustainable Development Strategy (Table 8)?
| No |
7. Summary of green procurement targets:
Increase uptake of green travel options by 10% (i.e., rail for short haul trips, video or net conferencing) by Agency employees by March 31, 2010.
8. Results achieved:
There are currently 200 videoconference access points within the Health Portfolio. Since July 2008, 333 video conferences were reserved. By the end of 2008-09, the National Capital Region fielded 1-2 requests per average week.