The University of Colorado (CU) recognizes its responsibility to minimize negative impacts on human health and the environment while supporting a diverse, equitable, and vibrant community and economy. CU acknowledges that the products and services the University buys have inherent social, human, health, environmental, and economic impacts and that CU should make procurement decisions that embody, promote, and encourage the University’s commitment to sustainability.
These guidelines intend to:
- Encourage the purchase and use of materials, products, and services that best align with CU’s fiscal, environmental, climate change, social, community, and performance goals;
- Reduce the spectrum of environmental and social impacts from the use of products, including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, reduction of landfill waste, health and safety risks, and resource consumption;
- Empower department and university purchasing staff to be innovative and demonstrate leadership by incorporating progressive and best-practice sustainability specifications, strategies and practices in procurement decisions;
- Encourage vendors to promote products and services that they offer which are most suited to CU’s sustainability goals;
- Encourage and promote both local and national companies to bring forward emerging and progressive, sustainable products and services, by being a consumer of such products and companies; and
- Communicate CU’s commitment to sustainable procurement by modeling the best product and service choices.