Sustainable Procurement

Social Economy at Bishop’s

At Bishop’s we believe in encouraging social economy enterprises whenever possible! 

Watch this video to learn why Bishop’s University chooses to buy from social economy businesses (video in French).

We celebrate Social Economy Month in November with awareness activities and reporting on money spent in Social economy enterprises every year.

To learn more about Social Economy projects at Bishop’s please consult these articles:

Embracing the social economy at Bishop’s University – The Campus

L’économie sociale pour atteindre ses objectifs d’approvisionnement responsable – La Tribune

Local Flowers for Convocation

Bishop’s is the first university that partnered up with Quebec’s local flowers producers (Association des productrices et producteurs de fleurs) to offer local flowers for convocation! Offering locally and ecologically grown flowers during Convocation is part of Bishop’s University Sustainable Development plan (orientations 1, 2 and 4). By partnering up with 2 local flower producers, Les Jardins d’Etc. (Bury, QC) and Wild Thing (Stanstead, QC) we:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions (due to transportation of flowers);
• Encourage a sustainable agriculture system that promotes ecological farming practices and ethical working conditions;
• Access unparalleled freshness (amazing scents, longer lasting blooms, varieties that don’t tolerate long distance transport);
• Support local businesses run by women in the Eastern Townships!

Learn more about the mission behind this project.

Responsible Investment

Annual reports on responsible investment recommendations:

Fall 2024 Status Report – Responsible Investment Recommendations (PDF)

Background:

On June 14, 2024, the Board of Governors approved the following revised recommendations:

1. In collaboration with the SEED Portfolio Management Program, report to the Board of Governors on an annual basis that the SEED Portfolio Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) score as per the MSCI ESG ratings is “A” or better.
2. Consider how the University could ally with organizations with a view to influence the transition to a low carbon economy.
3. Ask the Bishop’s University Foundation to inform donors of the existing fossil fuel free investment fund.
4. In collaboration with the Bishop’s University Foundation (BUF), the Bishop’s Pension Plan Committee (BPPC) and Bishop’s University, report to the Board of Governors on an annual basis:
   • That asset managers demonstrate that they are signatories of the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (UNPRI);
   • On engagement and promotion activities with respect to responsible investment undertaken during the year; and
   • That an annual report has been published on the University Sustainable Development website.

In January 2024, the University’s Executive determined that the most appropriate body to oversee the implementation of these recommendations was the Sustainable Development and Built Environment (SD & BE) Committee which would review annually the implementation status at a meeting in the Fall.

On December 15, 2023, the Board of Governors received the final report and recommendations of the ad hoc committee on Responsible Investment.

On February 14, 2020, the Board of Governors created an Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability and Responsible Investment. The mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee was to define the values and objectives with respect to responsible investment that should guide the University and its representatives on the Bishop’s University Foundation (BUF) and the Bishop’s Pension Plan Committee (BPPC). As the definition of the term responsible investment can be very broad, the Committee decided to concentrate initially on initiatives that the University could take to contribute to the transition to a low carbon economy.