Sustainable procurement means paying attention to not only prices but also aspects such as social responsibility, resource efficiency, and the reduction of greenhouse gases. The price-performance ratio used in making procurement decisions therefore considers the entire life cycle of a product or service. Sustainable procurement has become increasingly important at Freie Universität Berlin in recent years. With an annual budget of around 40 million Euros, the university is an important economic operator and wants to show exemplary leadership with its electronic procurement system. This system increases the transparency of the purchasing process, which results in efficient resource use and cost reductions. Central Purchasing considers the entire spectrum of sustainability aspects before finalizing contracts.

In doing so, we align our requirements with the State of Berlin’s Procurement and Environment Administrative Regulation (VwVBU). Environmentally friendly products are clearly marked in the procurement system and are prioritized in search results. Paper and IT equipment are particularly important in this context. Freie Universität Berlin purchased almost 90% certified-recycled paper in 2016. As part of its digitalization strategy, the university also strives to systematically reduce paper use. Moreover, we have also been reorganizing our printer and copy system since 2018. We want to reduce the overall number of printers and copy machine by 50% by 2020, and the new machines will be especially energy and cost efficient.

The university has developed energy efficiency criteria for purchasing IT hardware that exceed statutory requirements. An essential component of the Green IT program— introduced in 2010—is procuring sustainable IT products. Due to Freie Universität Berlin’s comprehensive energy, environmental, and health procurement criteria, the German Environment Agency (UBA) cited the university’s environmentally friendly procurement of office equipment as a best practice for the second time in 2016.