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Green Procurement

Summary

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is currently reviewing a green procurement policy that will be introduced to all CBSA branches and regions once it is approved. The policy will provide information that will be used to help reduce the environmental impacts of the CBSA's operations and promote environmental stewardship by integrating environmental performance considerations in the procurement process. The procurement of environmentally friendly products and services is an integral aspect of the CBSA's commitment to sustainable development and is one of the ways the CBSA ensures responsible procurement and best value for Canadians

The policy will be integrated into management processes and controls, and ongoing green procurement training will be offered and become mandatory and will be included in employee performance evaluations.

Green Procurement Targets and Benefits

Green procurement means changing what goods and services the CBSA buys and how it buys them in ways that reduce its environmental impacts. The environmental benefits of green procurement include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air contaminants, ozone-depleting substances, solid waste and hazardous chemical use and waste. Greening improves energy and water efficiency, encourages reuse and recycling, and improves the indoor work environment.

Green procurement is set within the context of achieving best value for money (price, quality, availability, functionality). It integrates environmental performance considerations into the procurement process and addresses the full life cycle of the product or service to be acquired (i.e. throughout the planning, acquisition, in-service use and disposal phases). Green procurement also requires an understanding of the environmental aspects and potential impacts and costs associated with the life-cycle assessment of goods and services being acquired.

Purchasing environmentally responsible products or services may help reduce costs as environmentally preferable products and services are typically more resource-efficient and require less energy, water and other resources to produce, use and/or dispose of them.

Table 1: Status Report on Green Procurement Targets

Status Report on Green Procurement Targets

Target	Status
Develop a partnership strategy on horizontal sustainable development issues	Completed
Develop a 2007–12 greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy	Completed
Apply Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification standards to new CBSA-owned border crossing facilities	Completed
Reduce by 15 percent (from 2002–03 levels) greenhouse gas emissions per vehicle kilometre	Completed
Purchase ethanol-blended fuel for vehicle fleet, where available	Completed
Undertake a pilot project that uses technology in boardrooms to reduce travel	Completed
Create a virtual sustainable development centre of expertise	Completed
Develop and implement a national green procurement program	In progress
Develop and implement a paper reduction policy	In progress

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