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UNIT 4: ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Environment Status Review on Purchasing Environmentally-preferable
Products and Services
PURCHASING FACTSHEET
• The hospitality industry is a large buyer of consumer goods and services and can,
therefore, have a significant influence on suppliers and contractors. On average, 26
five-star hotels purchase the same volume of goods as 1,200 families.
• Environmentally-preferable products include:
- Products made entirely or partly with recycled materials;
- Materials with reduced toxicity – e.g. water-based paints and non-solvent cleaners;
- Products manufactured through cleaner production processes – e.g. unbleached
paper;
- Products that are more durable and last longer;
- Products that require less energy during manufacture and use;
- Reusable or recyclable products;
- Products with reduced packaging - most packaging ends up in the waste stream
less than 9 months after manufacture;
- Environmentally certified products;
- Products manufactured locally not requiring long-distance transportation.
• The use of environmentally-preferable products can be a valuable showcase for
corporate environment commitment.
• Environment-conscious purchasing practices avoid and reduce waste. For example,
buying items with less packaging reduces packaging waste.
• Changing purchasing practices should be undertaken in close collaboration with
suppliers to ensure that the most cost-effective and environmentally-preferable
alternative is selected.
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