Finance and sustainable procurement

• The University will not intentionally invest directly or through collective funds in:
  • fossil fuel companies
  • arms companies
  • corporations complicit in the violation of human rights and international law.

Find out more from our Socially Responsible Investment Policy.

• Work with regional partners to promote a just transition towards a net zero carbon economy.
• Put sustainability ‘front and centre’ in the award of contracts, thereby promoting a wider ‘ecosystem’ of sustainable suppliers and products.
• Increase engagement with local suppliers who support the University’s net zero ambitions.
• Increasing the community benefits delivered by our contracts.
• Identifying high sustainability impact suppliers.

The way in which we manage our finances has a pivotal role to play in any plan to reduce carbon emissions. We work with strategic partners across the Forth Valley to identify potential areas of collaboration to reduce the Region’s overall carbon emissions, and thereby benefit us and local communities.

When planning capital expenditure, we actively consider whether existing buildings can be repurposed rather than building anew. Where decisions are taken to build new, we ensure that they are built to Passivhaus standards or their equivalent wherever possible. Similarly, we employ Enerphit or equivalent standards for all refurbishment projects wherever possible.

Much of the University estate was built in the 1960/70s with many buildings of single brick construction and single glazed windows. A continuous programme of refurbishment and replacement of the building stock has progressively raised the thermal efficiency of our buildings.

For the University to remain viable as an internationally recognised centre for teaching and research, we recognise that carbon emissions will continue to be incurred as a result of essential business travel and commuting. Thus, to reach our net-zero carbon emission targets by 2040, we carbon offset for those stubborn carbon emissions via a recognised carbon offsetting scheme.

Procurement

We recognise that, as a major employer in the region, we have considerable economic and influencing power, especially with regards to procurement.

We are committed to fulfilling our sustainable procurement duty under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014. We seek to identify high sustainability impact suppliers and categories, and employ the latest APUC tools and guidance to further improve supply chain monitoring and performance.

We recognise that supplier engagement is key to delivering sustainable benefits. Our Procurement Strategy 2023-2030 provides a clear framework for action and has, as one of its four key objectives:

Embed Ethical and Responsible Procurement - purchasing goods, services and works in ways that consider their environmental, social, and economic impact.

This objective informs determination of scoping of requirement, the contract award and  the contract management phases (where appropriate). We also use APUC’s Scope 3 report to establish supplier and category baselines and explore, as appropriate, where a targeted supplier engagement programme may be the best means of promoting continual sustainability improvement by key suppliers.

Procurement and food

As part of our pledge to provide low carbon and ethically produced food, we have reduced food mileage by switching to local food producers and suppliers wherever possible.

We have also increased seasonal fruit and vegetable provision throughout our catering outlets.

Our food broker contract with Pelican ensures food supplied to the campus is ethically and responsibly sourced including Marine Stewardship Council certified aquatic food.

Find out what we're doing to reduce food waste.