This is an optional Innovation & Leadership credit. These credits recognize exemplary practices and performance above and beyond what is recognized in standard credits and may not be relevant to every institution. Scoring in the Innovation and Leadership section is capped at 4 bonus points total.
Credit Language
IN 34: Spend Analysis – version 2.2
Frequently Asked Questions
How has this credit changed between version 2.1 and 2.2?
Partial points are now available. An institution earns 0.5 bonus points when 50 percent or more of its expenditures have been subject to a sustainability-related spend analysis. An institution for which at least 25 percent but less than 50 percent of expenditures have been subject to a sustainability-related spend analysis earns 0.25 bonus points.
What is a “spend analysis”?
Consistent with the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council: “Sustainability-related spend analysis involves collecting, cleansing, and classifying purchasing history data in order to pair it with additional information about the environmental, social, and economic performance of the products, services and suppliers that make up that purchase history. Spend analysis allows an organization to determine the areas of their purchasing that offer the greatest opportunity to improve their supply chain’s environmental, social, and economic performance. Spend analysis establishes a performance baseline against which future progress can be measured.”
Example Responses
- Cal Poly Humboldt – An analysis of recycled content purchases across commodity categories is conducted, as well as an analysis of spending on services and commodities from small business and disabled veteran owned businesses.
- University of Colorado Boulder – Clear methodology and detailed documentation. Includes an uploaded spend analysis report.
Common Issues Identified During Review
- There must be indication that the institution has conducted a spend analysis to assess the sustainability impacts of its purchasing across commodity categories and has identified and prioritized opportunities for improvement. Documentation on the nature of the spend analysis must be provided.