Staffing your sustainability efforts and training relevant staff are critical components of a successful sustainability program.
Proposed procurement goals and metrics:
- Do you have dedicated staff with explicit duties related to sustainability? Does the staff have authority to implement sustainability initiatives?
- Is staff review and compensation tied to sustainability goals?
- Does the city offer training for all interested employees and require training for employees with roles in procurement or implementation?
- Are you fostering a culture of sustainability and climate action; building employees’ skills and knowledge through engagement, education, and training? (See US Federal Government 2021 Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability.)
- Are you incorporating environmental stewardship values and, where appropriate, sustainability goals and objectives into performance plans of executives, managers, and staff? (See US Federal Government 2021 Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability)
Resources:
- The Sustainable Purchasing Training Module, developed by Ecology Center and Safer States, is an easy-to-use guide to help municipal employees navigate the abundant information about sustainable purchasing. The module helps trainees understand and implement an existing sustainable procurement policy. It provides a basic understanding of sustainable procurement and its benefits, recommends strategies to assist with implementation, and provides resources and tools for each step along the way.