Reporting on Green Procurement

Corresponding Departmental Action:

• Include criteria that address carbon reduction, sustainable plastics and broader environmental benefits into procurements for goods and services that have a high environmental impact.
• Integrate environmental considerations into procurement management processes and controls.
• Incorporate environmental considerations into the development of any common-use procurement instruments.
• Ensure key officials include contribution to and support for the Policy on Green Procurement objectives in their performance evaluations.
• Set departmental targets to reduce the environmental impact of specific goods or services.

Contribution by each departmental result to the FSDS goal and target:

• FSDS: Green procurement incorporates environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and is expected to motivate suppliers to green their goods, services and supply chain. GHG reductions are one area of consideration in green procurement.
• United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): SDG 9 – Target 9.4; SDG 12 – Target 12.5; Target 12.7

Starting Point:

The new ISC Directive on Green Procurement and nine departmental green procurement targets were endorsed by the department's Financial Management Committee in 2020 and are planned for approval and implementation in fiscal year 2021-22.

Performance Indicators:

1. Volume of expenditure through Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements that include environmental criteria
2. Inclusion of environmental considerations (e.g. reduce, reuse, or include environmental criteria) in new common-use procurement instruments
3. Inclusion of environmental considerations (e.g. reduce, reuse, or include environmental criteria) in procurements valued over $2 million

Indicators for the Greening Government Strategy:

ISC's proposed departmental green procurement targets originate from the Greening Government Strategy (2020):

1. Seventy-five per cent of new light-duty unmodified fleet vehicle purchases will be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) or hybrid, with the objective that the government's light-duty fleet comprises at least 80% ZEVs by 2030. Priority is to be given to purchasing ZEVs;
2. All unnecessary procurement of single-use plastics will be eliminated for departmental operations, events and meetings, unless required for accessibility, health, safety or security reasons;
3. All new buildings (including build-to-lease and public-private partnerships) will be net-zero carbon unless a life-cycle cost-benefit analysis indicates net-zero-carbon-ready construction;
4. All major building retrofits, including significant energy performance contracts, require a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction life-cycle cost analysis to determine the optimal GHG savings (the life-cycle cost approach will use a period of 40 years and a carbon shadow price of $300 per tonne and be maintained at all project stages);
5. All new federal buildings, infrastructure and major building retrofits, including significant energy performance contracts, require a climate change risk assessment that incorporates both current and future climate conditions in the analysis;
6. By 2030, 75% of domestic office new lease and lease renewal floor space must be in net-zero carbon, climate-resilient buildings;
7. For all new domestic office leases and lease renewals for space over 500 m², landlords must report building energy and water usage, GHG emissions and waste generated using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager;
8. Use 100% clean electricity by 2022, and by 2025, at the latest, by producing or purchasing renewable electricity;
9. Divert at least 90% by weight of all construction and demolition waste from landfills and strive to achieve 100% by 2030.

Results Achieved:

Corresponding Departmental Action:

• Undertake or commission research and development for innovative clean technologies.
• Address specific departmental needs or increase operational efficiency by testing state-of-the-art innovations not yet available in the marketplace.
• Lead by example as an early adopter of clean technology innovations.
• Develop operational innovation proposals for the Greening Government Fund.
• Create departmental set-asides or targets for procurement of clean technology goods and services.
• Incorporate life-cycle assessments and outcomes-based approaches into procurement practices to ensure innovative approaches are considered.

Contribution by each departmental result to the FSDS goal and target:

• FSDS: Actions by individual departments that incent, support, or procure state-of-the-art innovative clean technologies that lower the environmental footprint of government operations while contributing to the success of clean-tech businesses in Canada.
• UN SDG: SDG 7; SDG 9; SDG 12 – Target 12.7

Starting Point:

ISC's greening priorities in recent years have focused on complying with mandatory requirements and the ongoing transformation of the former Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada has impeded the department from progressing on projects to adopt new clean technologies. The department's forthcoming real property sustainability framework and Sustainable Workplace Operations Approach will provide opportunities to deploy clean technologies.

Performance Indicator:

ISC will identify and report projects that adopt clean technology as feasible.

Results Achieved:

ISC did not implement clean technology projects or submit project proposals to seek support from the Greening Government Fund during the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Corresponding Departmental Action:

• Ensure decisions makers, material management and specialists in procurement have the necessary training and awareness to support green procurement.

Contribution by each departmental result to the FSDS goal and target:

• FSDS: Green procurement incorporates environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and is expected to motivate suppliers to green their goods, services and supply chain.
• UN SDG: SDG 12 – Target 12.7

Starting Point:

Departmental specialists in procurement and materiel management are required to complete the Canada School of Public Service online course on Green Procurement. The completion rate for this course was determined to be 95% in 2017 (21 of 22 employees), but has not been verified since then due to significant organizational changes resulting from the transformation of the former department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada into Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. This course is mandatory for functional specialists in federal procurement.

Performance Indicators:

1. Percentage (%) of specialists in procurement and materiel management who have completed the Canada School of Public Service training course on green procurement
2. Percentage (%) of specialists in procurement who have completed departmental training on recording green procurement in the financial information system

Results Achieved:

1. 100% (mandatory training for ISC procurement and materiel management specialists)
2. 100% (mandatory training for ISC procurement specialists)