Imagine a world...
where procurement decisions weigh environmental and social impact alongside cost.
Researchers from American University are using Innovation North’s methodology to understand what makes sustainable procurement difficult to implement in practice. Sustainable procurement addresses internal needs like cost and quality while also considering external impacts on the economy, society, and the environment. Large organizations have enormous purchasing influence, and universities are no exception.
In partnership with American University’s Procurement and Contracts Department and Office of Sustainability, the American University team conducted 47 interviews, and three workshops with buyers, vendors, university leaders, and sustainability and procurement officers at peer institutes to understand American University’s purchasing system, and identify challenges and opportunities for positive change toward sustainability.
The research is now moving into its second phase. Working with students and university partners, researchers are testing interventions to address the barriers they identified, including training modules to help purchasers across university departments make more sustainable decisions. This research is funded by American University’s Center for Environment, Community & Equity (CECE), and Translating Research into Action Center (TRAC).
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