The North American Green Purchasing Initiative’s Self-Assessment Tool (Eco-Eval)

Question List

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1  Policies
1.1  Institutional Environmental Policy
Has the organization adopted a formal (written) environmental policy or a set of environmental guidelines or principles that commits it to responsible environmental action?
  • Formalized and Extensive
  • Formalized
  • Informal Guidelines
  • No
  • N/A
Are specific environmental concerns, such as resource use reduction, reuse and recycling, communicated?
  • Yes, concerns are listed and well defined
  • Yes, some concerns are listed but not all well defined
  • No
  • N/A
1.2  Environmental Purchasing Policy
Does the organization have a formal (written) policy to purchase environmentally responsible products and services?
  • Formalized and Extensive
  • Formalized
  • Informal Guidelines
  • No
  • N/A
Are elements defined, such as policy statement, quantifiable goals or guidelines? (For more examples please refer to the guide)
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Are the reasons that you are incorporating environmental considerations into your purchasing decisions communicated and explained?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Are your environmental purchasing goals quantifiable?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • N/A
Do your goals have set deadlines and an action plan to meet the goals?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • N/A
1.3  Environmental and Quality Management Systems
Do you have an environmental or quality management system in place?
  • Yes, both
  • Yes, Environmental
  • Yes, Quality
  • No
  • N/A
Are there procedures in place, similar to and EMS or QMS, that incorporate environmental concerns into purchasing?
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
1.4  Human Resources
1.4.1 Leadership and Stewardship
Is there senior management/executive level buy-in and endorsement of the green purchasing policy (ies) and practices?
  • Complete
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
Is the organization engaged, at the national/international level, in committees or projects that address environmental purchasing issues?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
1.4.2 Delegation of Responsibility
Does your organization have a person or persons responsible for the management of your environmental purchasing activities?
  • Yes, Two or more people
  • One full time person
  • One part time person
  • No
  • N/A
If so, does the person (s) responsible for environmental purchasing have: Exemption from other duties that may cause a conflict of interest?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • N/A
If so, does the person (s) responsible for environmental purchasing have: Significant training and qualifications to be in that role?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • N/A
If so, does the person (s) responsible for environmental purchasing have: A genuine commitment to greening purchasing?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • N/A
If so, does the person (s) responsible for environmental purchasing have: Authority to implement changes ?
  • Yes
  • Partially
  • No
  • N/A
Is there a multi-stakeholder committee (green team) that meets regularly to develop and implement the environmental purchasing activities outlined in the policy?
  • Yes, They meet regularly and frequently
  • Yes, They meet regularly
  • Yes, They meet occasionally
  • No
  • N/A
If so, are there any senior level officials that sit on the committee?
  • Yes, 2 or more
  • Yes, 1 senior official
  • No
  • N/A
1.4.3 Training
Are there environmental purchasing training/ workshops available? If yes, how extensive is the training in terms of length? Choose the closest answer.
  • Yes, Ongoing and regular
  • Yes, 1 Week
  • Yes, 1 Day
  • Yes, 1 Hour
  • No training
  • N/A
If yes, who receives the environmental purchasing training? Senior management
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
If yes, who receives the environmental purchasing training? Senior purchasers
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
If yes, who receives the environmental purchasing training? All purchasers
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
If yes, who receives the environmental purchasing training? Institutional policy makers
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
If yes, who receives the environmental purchasing training? Suppliers
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
If yes, who receives the environmental purchasing training? Clients
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
1.4.4 Rewards and Incentives
Are incentives used to motivate purchasers to buy environmentally preferable products and services?
  • Yes, Often
  • Yes, Sometimes
  • No
  • N/A
1.5 Implementation Program
1.5.1 Process Adaptation
Have modifications been made to all corporate forms, standard clauses and conditions, approval documents, policies and procedures and other manuals to include environmental considerations?
  • Yes, For all documents
  • Yes, For most
  • Yes, For some
  • No
  • N/A
1.5.2 Communication Plan
Are communication tools, such as pamphlets, posters, information sessions, newsletters or emails, regarding environmental purchasing initiatives and practices being used to target each of the following? Purchasers
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Are communication tools, such as pamphlets, posters, information sessions, newsletters or emails, regarding environmental purchasing initiatives and practices being used to target each of the following? Suppliers
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Are communication tools, such as pamphlets, posters, information sessions, newsletters or emails, regarding environmental purchasing initiatives and practices being used to target each of the following? Clients
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Are environmental purchasing accomplishments communicated regularly to the following? Purchasers
  • Regularly
  • Somewhat
  • Never
  • N/A
Are environmental purchasing accomplishments communicated regularly to the following? Senior management
  • Regularly
  • Somewhat
  • Never
  • N/A
Are environmental purchasing accomplishments communicated regularly to the following? Suppliers
  • Regularly
  • Somewhat
  • Never
  • N/A
Are environmental purchasing accomplishments communicated regularly to the following? Clients
  • Regularly
  • Somewhat
  • Never
  • N/A
1.5.3 Feedback, Evaluation and Reporting
a) Monitoring and Targeting
Are there quantifiable measures in place to assess the current environmental purchasing performance of your organization?
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Is there a defined process for incorporating improvements to the environmental purchasing program?
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
How often are your environmental purchasing efforts reviewed, evaluated and improved?
  • Continuously
  • Monthly
  • Quarterly
  • Annually
  • Never
  • N/A
b) Reporting Success
Do you have a way to evaluate each of the following metrics? Total Transactions
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Do you have a way to evaluate each of the following metrics? Money spent on environmental purchases
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Do you have a way to evaluate each of the following metrics? Money saved through environmental purchasing
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Do you have a way to evaluate each of the following metrics? Environmental benefits
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Do you have a way to evaluate each of the following metrics? Other applicable metric
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
2  Green Office Practices
Has your office implemented ways of greening its day-to-day activities (i.e. use of ceramic cups instead of Styrofoam)?
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Does the building management of your facility demonstrate environmental considerations through issues such as, a recycling program and resource efficiency?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
2.1 Energy Efficiency
Has your facility reduced its overall electricity use in the last few years?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Is the facility using a renewable energy source to add to conventional electricity supply?
  • Yes
  • No
  • N/A
Is all office equipment Energy Star (or equivalent) certified?
  • Yes, All
  • Yes, Most
  • Some
  • No
  • N/A
In your office, do you practice many energy conservation methods (i.e. the use of fluorescent bulbs)?
  • Many
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
2.2 Handling of all Waste Materials
2.2.1 Recycling Program
Is there a recycling program in place at your facility?
  • Yes, for several materials
  • Yes, for some materials
  • No
  • N/A
Are discarded furniture, carpet and other equipment from your office diverted from landfill in any way, such as donated or resold?
  • Yes, Always
  • Sometimes
  • No
  • N/A
2.2.2 Hazardous Waste Materials
Are hazardous waste materials (expired chemicals, paint and cleaner residues, fluorescent bulbs and other mercury-containing devices, discharged batteries) handled in an environmentally responsible manner?
  • Yes, Always
  • Sometimes
  • No
  • N/A
Have any hazardous substances been replaced with products certified to an ecolabelling organization or other non-hazardous alternatives (i.e. detergents, cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers)?
  • Yes, All
  • Yes, Some
  • No
  • N/A
2.3 Conservation Practices for Paper and other Stationary
Do your employees practice paper-conserving activities (i.e. reuse of scrap paper or defaulting office equipment to double-sided copies)?
  • Yes, several
  • To some extent
  • No
  • N/A
Do you require of your contractors, that bids be printed double-sided?
  • Yes, Always
  • Sometimes
  • No
  • N/A
What amount of office supplies, used in your office, contains recycled content?
  • All
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
2.4 Green Meetings
When organizing a meeting, do you incorporate environmental purchasing considerations into your planning process?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
2.5 Green Travel
Do your employees minimize travel when possible and use alternatives such as teleconferences?
  • Yes, Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
When your employees must travel, are the hotels that are booked certified to legitimate environmental criteria, such as Green Leaf or Green Seal?
  • Yes, Always
  • Sometimes
  • No
  • N/A
2.6 E-Purchasing
Does your organization procure electronically when possible (i.e. maintain and use an e-purchasing system or web site, or use e-mail distribution for request for proposals and contracts)?
  • Yes
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Is e-purchasing widely adopted by the following? Purchasers:
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Is e-purchasing widely adopted by the following? Suppliers:
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Does the e-purchasing system have monitoring and tracking capabilities?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
Have you made it a requirement that suppliers submit their bids electronically?
  • Yes, for all contracts
  • Yes, For most
  • For some
  • No
  • N/A
Is your desire to procure electronically publicised to suppliers?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • No
  • N/A
3  Acquisition Planning
3.1 Requirement Definition
3.1.1 Necessity of Purchase
Does the procurement process begin with a formal evaluation to determine whether a purchase is necessary?
  • Always
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
Do your purchasers routinely discuss with their client the necessity of the purchase and the possible alternatives?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
Do you usually reduce the need, utilisation and scale of the purchase?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
3.1.2 Alternatives
How often do you acquire goods through alternative means such as short term leasing, renting or sharing of the product?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
When applicable, for how many purchases do you select reusable, refillable and/or recycled alternatives?
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
3.2 Procurement Strategy
Before beginning a new procurement, do you look for existing contracts on similar products as a matter of routine?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
Do you ever 'fast track' or give priority to green purchases?
  • Yes, For Several
  • Yes, For Some
  • No
  • N/A
Have you established a process or agreement with suppliers that fosters co-operation to provide environmentally preferable products?
  • Yes
  • To some extent
  • No
  • N/A
4  Sourcing and Bid Solicitation
4.1 Environmental Specifications for Products and Services
Do you include standard language in all requests for proposals/ requests for tenders expressing your desire to purchase environmentally preferable products and services?
  • Yes, for all contracts
  • For most
  • For some
  • No
  • N/A
To what degree, do suppliers actually co-operate with you in providing environmentally preferable products?
  • Considerable
  • Significant
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
4.1.1 Environmental Attributes (based on each stage of the life cycle)
Do you focus on specific environmental attributes, such as recyclability, resource efficiency or any other, during any given procurement?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
a) Extraction of raw materials and reused materials
To what degree do you base your purchasing decision on the geographical region of the raw materials, in the hopes of avoiding the exploitation of endangered areas?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • Not at all
  • N/A
When applicable, how many products do you purchase that contain a certain percentage of post consumer recycled content?
  • Yes, Always
  • Yes, Sometimes
  • No
  • N/A
Do you purchase used or remanufactured, rebuilt or refurbished goods and materials on a regular basis?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
When applicable, how many products do you purchase that are designed to minimize waste?
  • Yes, For Most Products
  • Yes, For Some Products
  • No
  • N/A
To what degree, do you purchase products that you know are low in toxicity?
  • Extensively
  • Somewhat
  • Not at all
  • N/A
Do you include specifications that aim to ensure that services use environmentally preferable products and follow environmentally responsible practices (i.e. proper handling of waste materials)?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
How many service contracts awarded are deemed environmentally preferable?
  • Most
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
b) Manufacturing methods
Do you ask that the bidders prove that their products and services use fewer resources (i.e. energy, water, and raw materials), during the manufacturing process?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
How many products, which claim to use fewer resources, have you actually purchased?
  • Most
  • Several
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
c) Packaging
When applicable, do you call for any type of environmentally responsible packaging requirements through your purchasing (i.e. acquiring products in bulk or in concentrated forms)?
  • Yes, All Product Categories
  • For Most
  • For Some
  • None
  • N/A
To what degree, do you actually purchase items in a way that reduces packaging?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
d) Delivery
When feasible, do you give preference to products that are manufactured close to the delivery point?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
Do you require the use of environmentally preferable transport (i.e. shipping via train versus plane, using propane-fuelled trucks versus diesel and carrying full loads as oppose to half empty ones)?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
e) Utilisation and Maintenance
Do you include in your specifications measures to extend the useful life of a product (i.e. to re-use, refill, recharge, or recondition the product)?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
How many products are purchased which include ways of extending their useful lives?
  • Most
  • Several
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
f) Disposal
Are you purchasing goods and materials with features that facilitate disassembly for processing, recycling and waste management?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
Are 'take-back' requirements imposed upon suppliers so that products are returned to their manufacturers after the end of their useful life?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
If products are not to be returned to the supplier, do you usually resell or donate them?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • N/A
  • Never
4.1.2 Environmental Criteria on Specific Commodities
Does your organization apply unique environmental criteria for every product category?
  • Yes, All product categories
  • For Most
  • For Some
  • For None
  • N/A
4.1.3 Negative Lists
When developing specifications, do you consult and comply with negative lists (lists of products and substances that are banned or restricted due to their toxicity or carcinogenicity) from credible, well-researched and non-partisan sources such as an ecol
  • Yes, Always
  • Yes, Often
  • Yes, Sometimes
  • No
  • N/A
4.1.4 Use of Pre-approved Green Product Lists
Do you purchase products that come from pre-approved lists of environmentally preferable products?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
If yes, do the lists of products come from credible and non-partisan sources such as an ecolabelling or government organisation?
  • Yes, all
  • Yes, Some
  • No
  • N/A
Do the lists highlight eco-labels such as the Eco-Logo and Green Seal?
  • Yes
  • Some
  • No
  • N/A
4.1.5 Performance Criteria
a) Adherence to Recognised Performance Standards
When applicable, do you purchase products and services that adhere to recognised and independent performance standards (i.e. those from the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) or the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM))?
  • Always
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
b) Comparable Quality and Usability
Are the environmentally preferable products that you purchase always comparable in quality and usability to other leading products of its category?
  • Always
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
c) Qualified Product Lists
Do you purchase products by consulting qualified product lists, which are lists of products published by independent standard institutions such as the CGSB or the ASTM?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
4.1.6 Ecolabelling
Do you ever require that products and services be certified by a third party environmental labelling organisation?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
Do you use criteria in your specifications that are developed by respected, third party environmental labelling organisations?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
How many products have you purchased that would adhere to the environmental criteria of a respected third party environmental labelling organisation?
  • Most
  • Several
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
4.2 Supplier/Manufacturer’s Environmental Performance
4.2.1 Green Office Practices
How many of your suppliers run their company in an environmentally preferable way, such as through the conservation of energy and other resources, and who have been able to prove it?
  • Most
  • Several
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
4.2.2 Environmental or Quality Management Systems
During the evaluation process, do you make it a mandatory or desirable requirement for bidders to have an environmental or quality management system? Environmental:
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
During the evaluation process, do you make it a mandatory or desirable requirement for bidders to have an environmental or quality management system? Quality:
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
How many of your suppliers have an EMS or QMS in place?
  • Most
  • Several
  • Some
  • None
  • N/A
4.2.3 Environmental Compliance
Do you request proof from your suppliers that their operations and products are in compliance with all related environmental legislation?
  • Yes, for all
  • Yes, for most
  • Yes, for some
  • No
  • N/A
5  Contract Review and Approval Process
Is there a section, dedicated to environmental considerations, that is built-in to most approval documents?
  • Yes, for all
  • Yes, for most
  • Yes, for some
  • No
  • N/A
Are the environmental impacts of the purchase typically considered during the approval process of a contract?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
6  Evaluation and Selection
6.1 Environmental Criteria
Do you employ “best value” evaluation procedures to incorporate environmental factors into your purchasing decisions?
  • Yes, for all contracts
  • Yes, for most
  • Yes, for some
  • No
  • N/A
How much weight is given to environmental attributes while evaluating bids?
  • Considerable
  • Significant
  • A Little more
  • None
  • N/A
6.2 Life Cycle Costing (the economic rationale to environmental purchasing)
Do you usually consider the total financial life cycle costs of a product when evaluating price?
  • Yes, for all contracts
  • Yes, for most
  • Yes, for some
  • No
  • N/A
6.2.1 Acquisition: Initial cost, Delivery, Installation
Do you regularly break down the total cost of an item to the initial cost, the delivery and the installation of a product?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
6.2.2 Use: Maintenance, Consumables
Do you typically include the cost of using and maintaining the product?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
6.2.3 Disposal
Do you usually take into account the difference in cost of recycling, reusing, remanufacturing, or refurbishing the product versus sending it to a landfill?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
7  Contract Negotiation
Do you ever bring up environmental considerations during negotiation periods?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
8  Contract Administration
Is there a conscious effort to maintain regular feedback from clients to ensure that suppliers are conforming to the specifications in a given contract?
  • Always
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
Is it common practice to arrange for reallocation, reuse, resale or donation of a product once the initial use is completed or over?
  • Regularly
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • N/A
9  Post Contractual
Do you store all of the information concerning environmental purchases for other purchasers to consult when dealing with the same commodity (i.e. in the form of a library or database)?
  • Yes, extensive database/library
  • Yes, to some extent
  • No
  • N/A
10  Overall

Allow yourself up to 100 bonus points for your institutions environmental purchasing efforts that are not covered through the checklist. You may want to consider the following:

  • the amount of product categories that emphasis is placed on;
  • tools developed or used, such as contract language in request for proposals, evaluation methods, use of ecolabelling organisations;
  • environmental attributes that are emphasised;
  • policies and green office practices in place;
  • link to your website for more information; and
  • any other relevant highlights within your initiatives.