Purchased Goods and Services

Definition:

At Stanford, the Purchased Goods and Services category comprises all university purchases, except for travel and construction, which are accounted for in the Business Travel and Construction categories, respectively.

Methodology:

In order to get a high level understanding of the magnitude of emissions in this category, a carbon footprint tool from Sievo was used to quantify emissions per dollar spent in 1,065 Stanford-defined categories.

Total emissions equaled 402,153 MTCO2e for Purchased Goods & Services in 2019.

A more accurate method of quantifying purchased goods & services emissions is to collect data directly from suppliers to inform emissions estimates for the products purchased from those suppliers. This method helps ensure that supplier-specific decarbonization efforts are reflected in our estimates, but that intentional shifts towards more climate-friendly vendors and products will be reflected in future emissions estimates. Stanford will be gradually pivoting to this approach in the coming years, beginning with a supplier engagement pilot in 2023 that will focus on collecting data and identifying mitigation opportunities in partnership with the university’s top suppliers for MedLab equipment, IT, food, furniture, and carpet.

Sustainable Purchasing Initiatives:

All members of the research community are encouraged to join educational events to learn more about sustainable purchasing in laboratories! Stay tuned for upcoming events.