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Karen Bowman

Karen Bowman. Director of Procurement, The University of Edinburgh Scotland’s first Fairtrade University . Strategic sustainable procurement.

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Karen Bowman

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  1. Karen Bowman Director of Procurement, The University of Edinburgh Scotland’s first Fairtrade University

  2. Strategic sustainable procurement • We aim to meet our needs for goods, services and works in a way that achieves value for money on a whole life basis and generates benefits not only to the organisation, but also to society, the economy and the environment. • We aim to offer procurement excellence to deliver the University of Edinburgh’s Strategic Plan as a ‘truly international university firmly rooted in Scotland’ and assist us ‘to increase our global impact and our contribution to society’. • • Urbanisation • Energy demand • Food demand • • Population • Climate change • Biodiversity • • Alleviating poverty • • Water demand • Infectious diseases • Global Challenges (Beddington 2009)

  3. …an overarching theme for this Plan is to increase our global impact and our contribution to society.” Prof.Sir Timothy O’Shea Principal & Vice-Chancellor, The University of Edinburgh University Strategic Plan 2012 -2016 p31 in partnership with EUSA, consolidating our long-standing commitment to contribute to meeting the global poverty challenge through fair trade.

  4. UN global compact – the principles support and respect human rights; make sure not complicit in human rights abuses. uphold freedom of association, collective bargaining; no form of forced and compulsory labour; effective abolition of child labour; no discrimination : employment/occupation. 10. work against corruption, extortion, bribery.

  5. UN global compact – the principles 7. adopt precautionary approach to environmental challenges; 8. promote greater environmental responsibility; 9. encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

  6. Operational ethical procurement • Operational plans with Members of CIPS (ethical code of conduct) • involve consultation with user intelligence groups & with our collaborators • encourage procurement journeys • adequate publicity for small and medium enterprises, third sector & university spin‐out or start‐up companies • enhance our social responsibility and sustainability, and equalities duties, where this is appropriate and proportionate • use electronic commerce such as eTender& eProcurement

  7. Making changes in procurement • Fairtrade University status from Fairtrade Foundation UK 2004 • Sustainable Procurement Action Plan 2009 • International Womens’ Day - fair trade conference 2009 • Workers Rights Consortium 2012 • APUC sustainable supply chain code of conduct 2013 • Legal obligations for social responsibility: • Equality duties • Environmental/sustainable/social specifications into whole life costing • Waste regulations/WEEE/disposal and reuse egresearch asset listings • Health & Safety • Bribery Act Risk • Staff and student engagement in the policy decisions: • - Research-led - fair trade, ethical investment, prison labour, electronics • Social issues – fair trade, workers rights, community benefits • Reputation – excellence, ethical investment, student experience

  8. Fair trade procurement progress • Flexible Framework – for assessing progress on sustainable procurement • People • Policy and communications • Process • Suppliers • Measures • Edinburgh Sustainability Awards – assessed by students including fair trade • Updated Fair Trade policy – not just a ‘brand’ but principles of ethical trade • Employed a Fair Trade Coordinator – full time engagement/research post • Established a fair trade academic network, website, Facebook and Twitter • Engaged fair trade student volunteers and UK wide community of practice

  9. UN (Marrakech) - Social Issues Social Responsibility and Sustainability Strategy Health (& safety) Education Employment Community Developing world supply chains Equalities - Accessibility Equalities - Equality Group Needs Equalities - Cultural Equalities - Appropriate Communication Equalities - Poverty Bribery Act Risk Students’ fair trade café wins Lord Provost award - best fair trade community 2010

  10. OUR FAIR TRADE OBJECTIVES Embedfair trade principles in University and EUSA procurement practices Informand engage students, staff alumni and the wider community Encourageacademic research and teaching on fair trade Collaboratewith policy makers, business, NGOs and other institutions

  11. UN (Marrakech) - Environmental Social Responsibility and Sustainability Strategy CO2 and other greenhouse gases Other air emissions Emissions to water Waste to landfill Hazardous substances Raw materials Energy Other natural resources Water Biodiversity Local environment TomyMathew Vadakkancheriil2013 from Kerala, India new versus traditional water conservation for fair trade cashews

  12. Good examples of fair trade 56 children attend schools in Malawi each year – Just Trading fair trade rice Harry Hill FairtradeNuts 1.5 million cups of fair trade tea & coffee throughout the University - the default option • Fairtradewines Bulk fairtrade orange / pineapple juice in Halls 50,000litres a year.

  13. Taking fair trade further APUC Sustainable Procurement Code of Conduct and Marrakech http://www.apuc-scot.ac.uk/code.htm Gaps identified: Research, Teaching and Knowledge Exchange PracticalProcurement Guide - reassurance and guidance to those making public sector procurement decisions and also to offer a clearer insight into the process of public procurement to Fair Trade activists. Martin Rhodes, Director Scottish Fair Trade Forum What is fair trade – the basics? http://www.ed.ac.uk/about/sustainability/fairtrade/guide-to-fair-trade Scope – new legislation from Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill Influence – legislation, more collaborative procurement, find supply chains Communications – what are the key messages for our different audiences Measures? – what does excellent ethical procurement or fair trade look like

  14. Informed by research • MSc PPP project on our engagement – presented to Scottish Parliament • See http://www.docs.csg.ed.ac.uk/Procurement/FairTrade/EgagementStrategy2011.pdf • Individual dissertations and PhD students looking at ethical trade issues • Summer Internship – fair trade research - what is in the University? • Fair Trade Coordinator - Liz Cooper - in staff Bulletin • Increasingly taking steps to link with academic staff, for research to inform best practice in fair trade procurement • Fair Trade Academic Network – interdisciplinary, seminar series, dissertation prize, website and blog • Looking at establishing work-based placements for MSc students to carry out research on fair trade and procurement

  15. Conclusion/future goals? Use the procurement law to its fullest extent – tech. specification, criteria. Consider ethics of the organisation – can your suppliers harm reputation? Engage with their supply chains - who decides what is fair - electronics? Empower students/ colleagues to improve, challenge, question, influence. Buying with learning – global influence, global challenges - seek solutions Meet the producers and hear their stories

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