Sustainable procurement

Goals of the Climate Action Plan 2030:

• Development of a concept and recommendations for an ecological, social and economic procurement system
• Development of options for saving resources in work materials and processes

Administrative regulation on sustainable procurement

The University of Göttingen follows the “Sustainable Procurement” administrative regulation (VV-NB) issued by the State of Lower Saxony in its procurement processes. Sustainable procurement means that, in addition to economic considerations, environmental, social, qualitative, and innovative criteria are taken into account when selecting products and services. The aim is to meet needs in a way that conserves natural resources and does not burden future generations.
The entire life cycle of a product is considered - from production and use to disposal. Preference is given to products made from recycled or renewable materials, as well as to fair trade and biodegradable goods, and products that are particularly energy-efficient and low in emissions. Among others, products containing microplastics, disposable tableware, chlorine-releasing cleaning agents, and genetically modified foods are to be excluded from procurement.
By implementing the VV-NB, the University makes an active contribution to environmental and climate protection and promotes social responsibility.

Recycled paper

For reasons of economic and ecological sustainability, it is strongly recommended to exclusively purchase and use recycled paper with a maximum brightness of 80 and 'Blauer Engel' certification. Existing fresh fiber paper stocks should, of course, still be used up. Furthermore, it is strongly recommended to set the color selection to "grayscale" in the print settings of the computers and laptops of all facilities, so that printing is default in black and white.
Additionally, by avoiding unnecessary prints, utilizing the duplex function, and reusing misprints as scratch paper, a significant amount of paper can be saved.

Reusable cup

At the coffee machines in the cafeterias of the Studentenwerk, disposable cups are explicitly allowed. Using reusable cups not only benefits the environment but also saves money: Each coffee purchased with a reusable cup saves 10 cents compared to using a disposable cup.

More Information from the Studentenwerk
Articel by HNA [22.10.2018] (german)

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