University of Toronto Mississauga
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

While the University Procurement Policy establishes high-level procurement governance, its ongoing operation is delegated to the University of Toronto administration, which has procurement processes, procedures and related financial guidelines (detailed in the Guide to Financial Management on the Financial Services website) in place that are modified from time to time to comply with institutional policies, applicable procurement legislation and regulations, domestic and international trade agreements, and good business practice. To ensure consistent application of Procurement Policy principles and requirements, staff and faculty are strongly encouraged to visit this website which provides comprehensive procurement information including tools, templates, and methodologies as well as any new services and programs that may be developed from time to time. Procurement activities at the University are to be undertaken in accordance with the following principles: • Supplier Access, Transparency, and Fairness: Access for qualified suppliers to compete for the University’s business must be open and the procurement process must be conducted in a fair and transparent manner providing equal treatment to suppliers. Suppliers must have equal access to information on procurement opportunities, processes and results. Where the University imposes conditions for participation in a procurement, it shall limit such conditions to only those that are essential to ensure that a supplier has the legal and financial capacities, and the commercial and technical abilities, to undertake the relevant procurement. • Procurement Planning: Prior to any procurement activities, the University shall undertake planning to identify the goods and/or services required to meet its needs, to determine the appropriate procurement method and the appropriate approvals required. The University shall not prepare, design, or otherwise structure a procurement, select a valuation method, or divide procurement requirements in order to avoid the obligations of this Policy. • Conflict of Interest: Conflict of interest, whether actual, potential or perceived, must be avoided during the procurement process and the ensuing contract. It is the responsibility of individuals involved in procurement decision making or a procurement process to disclose any actual, perceived or potential conflicts of interest according to the University’s institutional policies on conflict of interest. • Geographic Neutrality and Reciprocal Non-Discrimination: The University must ensure that access for suppliers to compete for business is geographically neutral with respect to other jurisdictions that practice reciprocal non-discrimination with Ontario. • Accountability: The University must be accountable for the results of its procurement decisions and the appropriateness of the processes. • Sustainability: Procurement planning and activities should be undertaken with a view to promoting social, environmental, and financial sustainability. Social Procurement Program: In 2022, the University of Toronto (U of T) initiated a social procurement pilot aimed at fostering a more sustainable and thriving community. While traditional businesses focus on creating economic value for both buyers and sellers, social procurement serves as a tool for enhancing community value. This one-year pilot connected participating faculties and departments with diverse suppliers such as social enterprises, equity-deserving and local suppliers. Throughout the duration of the pilot, participants were granted access to a Diverse Supplier Portal, connecting them with a broad spectrum of vendors offering various goods and services Diverse suppliers can be: • Social Enterprises – revenue-generating ventures, often non-profit organizations or for-profit B-Corps pursuing business objectives with a social impact mission, such as re-investing profits back into the community, or employing at-risk youth or persons with disabilities. • Diverse/Equity-Deserving Suppliers – businesses at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by an equity-deserving community, such as Black, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), Persons of Colour, LGBTQ2S+, Women, Persons with Disabilities, Youths, Seniors, and New Canadians. • Local Suppliers – small businesses in communities that can be supported to grow and increase their capacity, creating a ripple effect in the local economy that can increase local wealth and jobs. The Social Procurement Program was officially launched on November 2023.

As part of the 5 pillars identified in the "SUSTAINABILITY PATHWAYS WORKING GROUP REPORT in 2018". The LCCA is part of Pillar 5 Human Resources & Infrastructure and it is located as part of the group called Purchasing and the subgroup "Sustainable Procurement". It states the following: Sustainable Procurement • Written policies, guidelines or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across commodity categories institution-wide • Employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) as a matter of policy and practice when evaluating energy- and water-using products, systems, and building components The SUSTAINABILITY PATHWAYS WORKING GROUP REPORT 2018 went on to inform the creation of our Sustainability Strategic Plan, of which the goals around procurement are to undertake procurement and planning activities that promote social, environmental, and financial sustainability.

Sustainable Change Office Program: - FSC certified paper, other post-consumer recycled paper products, and products with environmentally-friendly packaging are prioritized; - Plant-based ink/Sustainable ink is prioritized over conventional printer ink; - Purchasing from Canadian, local, and/or socially responsible companies is prioritized; - When purchasing giveaways, swag items and team branding items, prioritize sustainable materials and responsible sourcing; - Prohibit the purchase of single use plastic water bottles https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/green/sustainable-change-program/sustainable-offices

Food Services at the University of Toronto is a division of Ancillary Services. We strive to ensure that our campus food services provide a wide range of affordable, sustainable and nutritious food options to our community through excellent service, commitment to our environment and celebration of food to reflect our diverse community. While Hospitality & Ancillary Services oversees food service at UTM, we work with our food service provider who manages all food service operations on campus. The scope of work within UTM’s RFP to contract a food service provider included the following sustainability criteria: • Review UTM Sustainability Strategic Plan (Fostered a Culture of Sustainability 2030) and ensure food service operations are aligned with UTM sustainability vision and meet UTM’s sustainability goals. (Note: UTM’s Sustainability Strategic Plan is found at: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/green/strategic-plan. • Ensure to use only third-party certified green or environmentally friendly cleaning and sanitizing products approved for use by UTM. • Work in concert with UTM to reduce energy, water, and waste impacts in food operations. • Work in accordance with UTM’s procedures for recycling cooking oils, composting and other recycling initiatives, including maximizing the use of organic waste dehydrators installed by UTM in back-of-house food service areas • Encourage biodegradable or compostable packaging, reusable eco-ware packaging, and/or OZZI or other similar programs (Note: Styrofoam containers will not be utilized on campus). • Develop, with UTM, an established sustainability food plan and purchasing policies that cover issues such as sustainable seafood, food service franchises, ethical and social standards, local sourcing, and food donations, and provide these policies to UTM for posting on UTM website. • Offer food and beverage products that meet third-party certification for organic, Fair Trade, and sustainability. • Ensure that all Fair-Trade Campus – Silver Designation requirements are followed. • Maintain minimum annual levels of local (Ontario) food procurement at 35% for all foods purchased for all non-branded food service operations. • Offer other waste management programs where possible including, but not limited, to discount for the use of reusable mugs in UTM, maximizing opportunities to reduce overall packaging, etc.

Since 2006, all large academic and research capital projects at UTM have been built to LEED silver minimum. In tender documents, jargon notes: The Architect shall design to a level that would be consistent with achieving LEED Silver. Reference is also made to ensuring compliance with UofT's design standards: https://www.fs.utoronto.ca/projects/design-standards-and-project-forms/ of which our energy and environmental design standards (Among others) need to be adhered to for the duration of the project. In addition, as per our Sustainability Strategic Plan, one of our goals relates to embedding sustainability into our building and design. Specifically it notes that UTM will continue applying a sustainability lens in building design and construction, and by 2030, UTM will design and construct new buildings to a minimum LEED Gold standard, with aims of achieving Platinum status, under the Canadian Green Building Council guidelines. This already begun; UTM has five LEED Silver buildings, one LEED Gold building and one LEED Gold renovation.

Social Procurement Program: https://www.procurement.utoronto.ca/programs-and-services/social-procurement