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Sustainable Procurement & Retail

UC Hill

Sustainable Procurement

Every purchase by staff and faculty has an environmental, social, or ethical impact!

Visit the Sustainable Procurement website for more information.

Resources & Learning

Sustainable product fact sheets have been created with information on the following topics:

With the intention of reaching campus wide staff involving purchasing, Western University in partnership with Reeve Consulting, delivered 10 Lunch & Learn sessions to provide practical tips for procuring more sustainable products and services.

These session recordings are available on Western's Sustainable Procurement website.

From Purple to Green coverProcurement Services and Sustainability have developed guidance to compliment Western's Procurement Policy, empowering the University community to make responsible purchasing choices and support Western's sustainability journey.

Access the full guidelines here.

Strategy & Action

Western has implemented a Sustainable Procurement Program to effectively achieve our overall strategic sustainability goals and priorities. The Program underscores sustainability considerations across environmental, social, and governance pillars.

View the Sustainable Procurement Strategy and Action Plan 2023-2025

Western University is embedding a Supplier Code of Conduct into contract terms with suppliers, requiring them to commit to ethical practices within their operations and supply chains. This policy sets clear expectations for labor standards, environmental responsibility, and human rights, serving as a key enabler for Western’s responsible sourcing commitments.
In 2024, Canada enacted the Supply Chains Act (Bill S-211), mandating organizations, including Western University, to disclose their supply chains, identify potential risks of modern slavery, and outline preparedness to address these risks. Western submitted its 2025 annual report to comply with the Act’s requirements, marking a significant step toward transparency and accountability.

Sustainable Retail

Western Retail Services has its own Environmental Sustainability Policy demonstrating a commitment to work locally with campus partners, community groups and vendors to implement projects that support our community's environmental wellbeing. Part of the policy is about waste reduction in Western Retail Services, and our community may have noticed the elimination of plastic bags at the Bookstore as one of the initiatives through this work. The Code of Conduct for Trademark Licensees doing business with the Bookstore further elaborates on expectations for sustainability and ethical practices from trademark licensees doing business with Western.