Exercise Environmentally Preferable Purchasing for a Healthier Planet and Pocketbook

This report, available for download from InfoTech, explains how companies are benefitting by adopting an Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) plan, which can minimize negative ecological effects by procuring products and services with the least environmental impact. Many enterprises have added an EPP policy to their procurement process. Understand EPP, incorporate its principles into the procurement process, and follow Info-Tech’s recommendations to implement a successful EPP program in IT.

Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) is a policy that encourages purchase choices with a minimum of environmental impact, while still balancing traditional requirements of price and performance. Under EPP, purchases are assessed on a lifecycle cost basis. In addition to defining EPP, this note describes the step-by-step EPP process, including planning an environmentally preferable purchase, and building and performing an EPP evaluation. Finally, Info-Tech provides recommendations for successfully implementing an EPP policy in IT:

• Establishing a formal statement of EPP policy.
• Communicating and educating stakeholders about EPP.
• Using pilot purchasing programs to demonstrate EPP effectiveness and success.
• Providing adequate resources for effective EPP.
• Measuring and rewarding EPP success.
• Taking advantage of side benefits in public relations, marketing, and the supply chain. Understand EPP, incorporate EPP principles into the procurement process, and follow Info-Tech’s recommendations for a successful EPP program.

And as a special offer to GreenerComputing readers, Info-Tech has provided a free tool that makes evaluating the environmental impact of IT systems easier. The PC Power Saving Plan Calculator measures the approximate payback period for advanced scheduling software and gives IT professionals an idea of how much energy and money can be saved by implementing a PC Power Saving Plan. It also illustrates the mass of CO2 emissions averted, and the equivalent number of cars taken off the road by implementing such a plan.