Buying for the Future: Contract Management and the Environmental Challenge

About the Book

Supported by WWF this vital new book demonstrates how to make environmentally sound purchasing decisions. Drawing on his experience as the head of purchasing for a major American university, Kevin Lyons offers a practical guide to responsible purchasing. Working for a university with a population of 60,000 Lyons faced the challenge of how to reduce damage to the environment while still meeting the needs of this community.

Lyons covers the key areas including:

• purchasing policy design and implementation strategies

• how to write environmentally-sensitive contracts

• the relevance of environmental laws

• understanding the competitive bidding process

• enforcing the environmental responsibilities of suppliers

• developing corporate leadership strategies

• putting contractual enhancements into action

• developing national and international environmental partnerships

Table of Contents:
Introduction: The Power of Purchasing

1. The Purchasing Process

2. Rutgers University, USA

3. Using your organizational structure

4. Creating environmental contracts

5. Contracts in action: waste management, recycling paper and food waste

6. Working relationships

7. Corporate Environmental Initiatives

8. Reaching out to the local community

General Background Reading

Contacts

Index

About the Author :

Kevin Lyons is Head of Purchasing at Rutgers University, Camden Campus.

Review :
"Lyon's 'Environmental Contract Management' program at Rutgers University, requires vendors to adopt "green" practices such as minimizing waste and using sustainable materials. The result: Rutgers has saved millions of dollars, and has met a series of conservation objectives. Because of his pioneering efforts, industry, government, academic institutions and purchasing professionals everywhere are learning that environmentally responsible purchasing is the smart way to go. With world-wide consumption of goods expected to quadruple in the next couple of decades, this is a critical lesson." -- part of the citation from the World Wildlife Federation when awarding Kevin Lyons their 2001 Special Achievement Award."By far the best primer available anywhere for those concerned with the field of environmental management. Lyons has outlined with great skill and lucidity the importance of incorporating a 'green' philosophy into the administration of universities, corporations, and communities everywhere. It is rare for a leading expert to do as outstanding a job in making a complex policy issue accessible to a broad audience as Lyons does in this excellent book." -- U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli"Combines a vision of what our proudest institutions ought to stand for with practical details of how to join ideals and behavior. This is a useful book for those who manage large organizations, but it is considerably more than that. It is also a story that has educational implications. I know of no better or more profound message to transmit to a generation of young people that often sees little reason for hope." -- David W. Orr, Environmental Studies Program, Oberlin College"I have been impressed by thebudget savings that can be made when companies become serious about greening their supply chain. Businesses should take note. Buying for the future can seriously impact the bottom line." -- Geoff Thorn, PR Manager, Canon UK, Ltd."A must for all local authorities, businesses, and organizations who are serious about improving their economic performance and at the same time building a sustainable future." -- Robert Napier, CEO, WWF-UK" Lyons points out that by paying attention to lighting, heating, water use, waste disposal, transport, and purchases, every college and university can cut costs and be green. Lyons provides a lot of practical advice about everything from better purchasing to contract-writing for suppliers to outsourcing." -- University Business