The PEFC logo for sustainable forestry. It was photographed through a magnifying glass.

Procurement

Sustainable standards in procurement
The PEFC logo for sustainable forestry. It was photographed through a magnifying glass.
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

The Friedrich Schiller University is one of the major research and education institutions in Germany. The high quality of research and teaching is associated with considerable investments in order to provide optimal conditions for researchers and students. Being aware of its role as a role model, the Friedrich Schiller University focuses on compliance with sustainable standards in purchasing and procurement management. Wherever possible, products should come from recycled, recyclable or renewable resources. In addition, production, delivery and other services should be as energy-efficient and climate-neutral as possible. In addition to the ecological relevance of sustainable standards, they also represent an economic factor: Savings potentials for energy-efficient products can in many cases compensate for higher acquisition costs in the short term. In addition, the requirements of the Thuringia Public Procurement Act (Thüringer Vergabegesetz) must be complied with in every tender. This page shows examples of which standards are taken into account for the product categories.

Sustainable standards for office furniture

No research without offices, no teaching without lecture halls - but both need space and must be furnished with the suitable furniture. Particularly when it comes to equipping the facilities, the Friedrich Schiller University relies on sustainability and thus on wood as a renewable ressource. All wooden components of the office furniture must be PEFC-certified. If chipboard is used, it must have at least the second lowest emission class E1. All furniture must bear the TÜV "schadstoffgeprügt" certificate or equivalent. This guarantees that the product does not contain any critical chemical compounds. Furthermore, the furniture must bear the Blue Angel and the Oeko-Text standard or equivalent in the possible product categories.

In addition, a data sheet with information on the life cycle assessment of the respective product must now be submitted for each bid.

Sustainable standards for IT equipment and accessories

Digital and multifunctional - Every office, every laboratory, every workroom needs its own equipment. Particularly in the case of IT equipment, the requirements for sustainability and functionality complement each other: All of the computers, laptops and monitors purchased in the course of the framework agreements have the Blue Angel label of the German Federal Environment Agency and are thus environmentally friendly. In addition, attention was paid to certification with the Energy Star. This seal guarantees low power consumption. In addition, their mainboards and power supplies are halogen-free. 95 percent of the university's multifunction devices have a Blue Angel label and also have an EMAS certification. This means they comply with the environmental management system specified by the EU.

Sustainable standards for paper

Turning old into new - Friedrich Schiller University is making steady progress with the digitization of research and teaching. However, an important part of communication and documentation is still carried out in print form. Paper is therefore still indispensable for academic operations. In terms of procurement, the university relies exclusively on suppliers with both the ECO label and PEFC certification for its central supply. In the decentralized paper supply, a procurement level of 89 percent has been achieved to date.

Compensation of emissions from mail and parcel shipments

For 2021, 1.44 tons of CO2 emissions caused by transport and logistics were compensated by GoGreen products and services. This means that they are balanced out by investments in climate protection projects.

Contact

On the website of Department 2 Finance and Procurement de you will find further information and contacts.