Ecological purchases
The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) integrates progressively environmental performance considerations into its procurement decision-making processes.
The OCOL is contributing to protection of the environment by using green procurement standing offers whenever possible, buying high-content recycled paper. In 2013-14, the OCOL will offer additional training to its materiel management and procurement staff as well as the acquisition cardholders in government-wide green procurement. The OCOL will also begin the development of a process to track green procurement in order to report its spending and set realistic targets. OCOL’s recognition program, which applies to all employees, was updated in 2012-13 making conservation and savings on the green plan one of the criteria for the Appreciation award.
The OCOL does not generate a large volume of electronic waste, but is very diligent in disposing of electronic waste in an environmentally responsible and cost effective manner such as recycling dead batteries as well as empty toner cartridges used in office printers.
Other technology initiatives that OCOL has implemented include reducing the number of printers and ensuring that all new printers have print duplex settings as well as ensuring that photocopiers are identified as network printers. Also, servers and computers are being replaced with models requiring less energy and producing less heat.
Furthermore, OCOL recently completed the installation of its WIFI infrastructure thus reducing even more the need to print documents required for meetings. An electronic information management system has been implemented that allows for electronic sharing of documents thus reducing the need for printing documents.
Other initiatives include printing the OCOL's publications (annual report; audit; study; promotional products) on 100% recycled paper, double-sided printing of documents whenever possible, circulating documents of interest and/or making them available on the organization’s electronic information management system and/or intranet site rather than printing multiple copies for internal distribution. A shredding contract with an environmentally responsible company is in place.
Finally, OCOL’s only vehicle is a hybrid car.
