EPFL’s best practices to be implemented in order to purchase sustainably.
General principles of a sustainable purchase
- Meets a need in a responsible manner by promoting sustainable solutions
- Respects people
- Takes the environment into account throughout the product’s lifecycle
- Aims for cost optimization
Habits to adopt
1. Assess the need
- Avoid the purchase by reusing what you already have or by repairing it
- Purchase according to the principle of sobriety: only buy the products that you really need and make sure the quantity corresponds to the actual needs
2. Check availability on campus
- Does the object exist on campus? Can it be pooled or exchanged?
- Consult EPFL’s SESAME platform for exchanging equipment (only accessible from an EPFL IP address)
- Send a mail to the community or a group of people involved
3. Rely on sustainability labels whenever possible
- Labels inform you if a product is certified as meeting environmental and social standards
- Consult Labelinfo.ch
- Look for the “Ecological option” indicator in suppliers’ catalogues
4. Adopt a “lifecycle” standpoint
- An eco-responsible product is designed to minimize its environmental impact, particularly regarding the choice of materials it is made of
- Favor the purchase of sustainable products: products with a long lifespan, strong and recyclable materials, repairable or guaranteed products, rechargeable products such as toner cartridges, etc.
- Take into account the products’ end-of-life: what will become of their components? Can they be recycled or reused?
