Greening Government Operations 2012-13

Surplus Electronic and Electrical Equipment Target

8.6 By March 31, 2014, each department will reuse or recycle all surplus electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) in an environmentally sound and secure manner.

Strategies / Comments:

1. Definition of Electronic and Electrical Equipment: Electronic Equipment refers to computers, monitors, printers, plotters, laptops, docking stations, televisions, most server and network equipment, most audio-visual equipment, scanners, fax machines, label printers, photocopiers, toaster-ovens, refrigerators, microwaves, and ovens.
2. Definition and number of departmental locations: In the context of this target, locations are defined as the National Capital Region - headquarters (NCR), as well as Public Safety Canada's (PS) regional presences. In 2012-13, there were 16 departmental locations; 15 regional presences and the NCR.
3. Key components of the EEE disposal process:PS disposes of all departmentally generated surplus electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) in a manner consistent with the Treasury Board Directive on Disposal of Surplus Material. 
4. Method for Tracking Equipment: Departmental assets are recorded in three departmental systems designed to capture complete information on each type of asset (an IT asset tracking system - WASP, a non-IT asset tracking system - Cable solve, and a financial capital asset tracking system - SAP). When the asset is received, relevant information is recorded in the appropriate tracking system and an asset tag is affixed.

In terms of meeting its obligation under the TBS Policy on Government Security (PGS), PS has measures in place to ensure compliance, including physical security of departmental assets. The PS Security Policy and the Departmental Security Plan establish requirements in this area.

Printing Unit Reduction Target

8.7 By March 31, 2013, each department will achieve an 8:1 average ratio of office employees to printing units. Departments will apply target where building occupancy levels, security considerations, and space configuration allow.

* This ratio was calculated by using the total number of printing devices and the number of employees. It does not differentiate between network and local printers.

Strategies / Comments:

1. Definition of printing unit: In the context of this target, a printing unit is defined as an electronic device, which sends text or pictures onto paper. This includes desktop printers, network printers, and multifunctional printers (with photocopier, fax, and scanner functionality).
2. Scope: The Printing Unit Reduction Target is applied to all office employees and printing units across PS - in the NCR and its regions. 
3. Method for determining number of printing units: The Information Technology functional unit at PS uses a tracking system (WASP) to maintain the accuracy of its inventory of organizational printing units in the NCR and in the regions.
4. Method for determining number of office employees: PS determines its number of office employees using its Human Resources Management System (HRMS - PeopleSoft).
5. Number of office employees subject to the target: At 2011-12 year-end, PS had 1124 indeterminate and 25 term employees who were subject to this target. 
6. Implementation Strategies:
   • The Department continued to ensure adequate access to network printers to service each area; and
   • continued to reassess departmental printing requirements and to adjust the number and model of network printers.

Paper Consumption Target

8.8 By March 31, 2014, each department will reduce internal paper consumption per office employee by 20%. Each department will establish a baseline between 2005-2006 and 2011-2012, and applicable scope.

Strategies / Comments

1. Scope: At a minimum, this target will include internal consumption of 8½ x 11 inch, 8½ x 14 inch and 11 x 17 stock paper across Canada, including all regional offices. This target will omit external printing, including those contracted out to a printing supplier, printing which results from a contract with an external supplier of goods and services, as well as coloured paper purchased directly by acquisitions cards.
2. Method for determining paper consumption: PS determines its paper consumption by calculating the amount of paper acquired centrally by the Department's Corporate Management Branch and with acquisition cards in the regions. PS will maintain centralized procurement of paper in the NCR and purchase less.
3. Method for determining number of office employees: PS determines its number of office employees using its Human Resources Management System (HRMS - PeopleSoft).
4. Number of office employees subject to this target: At 2011-12 year-end, PS had 1124 indeterminate and 25 term employees who were subject to this target. 
5. Implementation strategies include:
   • Determine the Department's purchasing paper through PWGSC's PaperSave Program;
   • Ensure that all printers and copiers are programmed to default  duplex printing;
   • Regular communications to remind employees of their options to consume less paper;
   • Review business practices that consume the most paper and work with large consumers of paper to determine strategies to green their operations;
   • Continue to improve ways of managing paper supply and usage (e.g. examine the feasibility of introducing electronic signature);
   • Continue working towards a Digital Office (i.e. improve Wi-Fi, expand electronic invoicing and implementing 'eFax' (PWGSC));
   • Review opportunities to green its management and decision-making processes.

Green Meetings Target

8.9 By March 31, 2012, each department will adopt a guide for greening meetings.

Strategies / Comments:

1. Definition of adoption: The guide will be reviewed by PS governance sub-committees, communicated to all staff, and posted on PS's Intranet site.
2. Scope: The PS Green Meeting Guide addresses all types and sizes of meetings and is intended to be used by meeting organizers and participants to reduce the environmental impacts of meetings hosted by PS. 
3. Implementation strategies include:
   • Expand Wi-Fi capability in the NCR.
   • Increase the use of soft copies during meetings at PS (i.e. eIndex and presentations on the screen, e-records of decisions, e-meeting notes captures in an official departmental e-repository);
   • Increase the use of videoconferencing rather than traveling to meetings;
   • Use facilities/services provided by companies that use environmentally preferred products or have a greening plan;
   • When feasible, use public or shared transportation for traveling to a meeting;
   • Communicate the importance of the guide and overall green practices to employees on an ongoing basis;
   • Incorporate tools, such as slates and processes that encourage and support collaboration;
   • Leverage the influence of the Departmental Green Team to incorporate the Green Meeting Guide into existing operations and practices.

Green Procurement Targets

8.10 As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish at least three SMART green procurement targets to reduce environmental impacts.

8.10.1 As of April 1, 2012, Public Safety Canada will ensure that 95% of toner cartridges purchased are remanufactured or recycled, where feasible

Strategies / Comments:

1. SMART: This target meets all the requirements of SMART criteria, that is: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.
2. Scope: In 2013-14, PS will scope out Xerox toner cartridges from this target, and will engage the vendor to ensure it includes the departmental environmental considerations (GGO target) forward.
3. Implementation strategies include:
   • Continue purchasing toner cartridges centrally in the NCR, which will ensure the availability of inventory counts;
   • Investigate the possibility of including criteria to give priority to suppliers who can demonstrate that they operate within “green” policies and programs;
   • Whenever possible, based on contracting requirement, purchase remanufactured toner cartridges, and send all used toner cartridges in NCR for recycling; and,
   • Continue exploring opportunities to include environmental considerations in the departmental purchasing criteria, in conjunction with traditional interests of price, performance and availability.

8.10.2 As of of April 1, 2011, as an ongoing target, Public Safety Canada office computers will have an average of a four-year life cycle

Strategies / Comments:

1. SMART: This target meets all the requirements of SMART criteria, that is: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.
2. Scope: This target includes all PS office computers.
3. Implementation strategies include:
   • A yearly renewal, on average, of 25% of the computer inventory to ensure that the Department has the latest and most energy efficient technologies. A procedure is currently in place, managed by the Information Technology authorities and Procurement authorities;
   • Track the Department's spending on assets, according to the existing system. This will be reinforced and integrated into PS's Investment Planning process; and,
   • Create awareness with client groups through presentations.

8.10.3 By March 31, 2014, 95% of paper purchases will contain a minimum of 30% recycled content and/or have forest management certification or ECOLOGO of equivalent certification

Strategies / Comments:

1. SMART: This target meets all the requirements of SMART criteria, that is: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.
2. Implementation strategies include:
   • As part of its Acquisition Card Policy, PS will include paper on the list of things that cannot be purchased with an acquisition card (at headquarters);
   • PS will continue to purchase paper centrally in the NCR which will ensure the availability of inventory counts; and,
   • PS will create awareness of this target through presentations to client groups.

8.11 As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish SMART targets for training, employee performance evaluations, and management processes and controls, as they pertain to procurement decision-making.

Training for select employees

8.11.1 As of April 1, 2012, as an ongoing target, 90% of material managers, procurement officers and acquisition cardholders will have taken a green procurement course

Strategies / Comments:

1. SMART: This target meets all the requirements of SMART criteria, that is: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.
2. Implementation Strategies include:
   • All new material managers, procurement officers and acquisition cardholders that have not completed the green procurement course will have identified a Green Procurement training course in their individual learning plan;
   • PS has implemented the new departmental Green Procurement Policy and will continue to create awareness of this target through presentations to client groups and during the departmental business planning process;
   • The Department's Corporate Management Branch has developed a tracking/monitoring system for this target;
   • PS has developed and implemented a policy which prevents acquisition cardholders that have not taken a green procurement training course from using their acquisition card; and
   • PS continues to promote existing tools available online and procurement officers will participate in webinars on green procurement.

Employee performance evaluations for managers and functional heads of procurement and material management.

8.11.2 As of April 1, 2012, as an ongoing target, green procurement objectives will be included in 100% of the performance evaluations of managers and functional heads of procurement and material management

Strategies / Comments:

1. SMART: This target meets all the requirements of SMART criteria, that is: Specific,Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.
2. Implementation Strategies include:
   • The Department will ensure that 100% of procurement officers, managers, and functional heads of procurement and material management include green procurement objectives in their annual performance expectations and evaluations. 

Management processes and controls

8.11.3 As of March 31, 2014, a minimum of three management processes and controls will be greened.

Strategies / Comments

1. SMART: This target meets all the requirements of SMART criteria, including: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.
2. Implementation Strategies include:
3. In 2010-11, PS developed and implemented the departmental Policy on Green Procurement, as well as the departmental Policy on Acquisition Cards;
   In 2013-14, PS will:
   • include environmental considerations in the Investment Planning, Procurement and Contracting Section of the Branch Business Plan template (part of the Department's business planning process);
   • promote using “greenest” suppliers on Statement Offer/ Supply Arrangement; and
   • review the Terms of Reference of its Contract Review Committee (will add green considerations to mandate).

Date modified:

2018-01-31