Sustainable Supply Chain

Learn how the Sustainable Supply Chain helps campus departments and the environment.

Sustainable Supply Chain (SSC) is defined as the procurement of items that have minimized or reduced environmental effects. 

The University of California’s Sustainable Procurement Guidelines lay out the minimum sustainability requirements for products and services purchased by the University of California and identify those product attributes that are strongly preferred, if not mandatory, in accordance with the Sustainable Procurement Policy and Procedure Sections of the UC Sustainable Practices Policy.

Among other updated requirements around packaging materials, marketing claims, and e-commerce content management, this new Policy sets the following targets:

• 100% compliance with UC Required Level Green Spend criteria, within three (3) fiscal years
• 25% spend with products meeting UC Preferred Level Green criteria, per product category, within three (3) fiscal years
• 25% spend with Economically and Socially Responsible (EaSR) suppliers, as a percentage of total addressable spend, within five (5) fiscal years
• 15% of total points utilized in competitive solicitation evaluations allotted to sustainability factors (exceptions allowed; beginning FY19-20).

UC San Diego must consider a comprehensive financial evaluation of a project that encompasses a Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA). Through this process, we aim to provide a holistic view of the total cost of ownership over the project's entire lifespan.

UC Green Spend Reporting Process for FY2026

The University of California (UC) has a Sustainable Procurement Policy that aims to achieve 100% compliance with Required Level Green Spend. The policy also aims to achieve 25% Green Spending as a percentage of spend per product category within three fiscal years and 25% economically and Socially Responsible Spending as a percentage of addressable spending within five fiscal years.

Suppliers are asked to submit the Data Set in two rounds:

• Data Set 1 (Jul 1 - Dec 31, 2024): due April 4, 2024
• Data Set 2 (Jan 1 - Jun 30, 2025): due Jul 18, 2025

Critical Dates

• February 26 - Category Manager Training
• March 5 - Supplier Training
• April 4 - Deadline for Data Set 1 Submission (spend data from July - December 2024)
• July 18 - Deadline for Data Set 2 Submission (spend data from January - June 2025)

 See tools and information to complete the data collection.

View 2023's Sustainability Report.