by Jbs083110 i3 — September 1, 2010—Antioch University New England (AUNE), a graduate campus of Antioch University in its 46th year, has adopted what it calls a “groundbreaking” responsible purchasing policy (RPP) to guide its procurement of goods and services. The policy goes beyond a focus on environmental standards to also emphasize social justice criteria relative to accessibility, inclusion, ethical production and local purchasing.
The policy reportedly sets high sustainability and social justice standards whose aims are to ensure the health, safety and inclusion of the AUNE community and visitors; reduce campus waste and greenhouse gas emissions; and strengthen the local economy by buying regional products and services. AUNE’s Sustainability and Social Justice Committee will continually revisit the policy and update it based on in-house research and outreach.
The policy also includes detailed implementation guidelines that identify preferred product attributes and include a resource list of vendors with third-party certifications, such as ENERGY STAR, EPEAT, Quality Assurance International and TransFair USA. AUNE says all phases in the lifecycle of a potential product or service are considered, from material acquisition to manufacturing and distribution to disposal, including recycling potential.
