How can businesses and organisations generate more climate-friendly procurement? Aarhus University will help to answer this question when a working group headed by the university roll up their sleeves as part of a new climate alliance in Aarhus.

2021.03.08 | Signe Opstrup

Climate Alliance Aarhus will focus on the green transition in transport, recycling, food, buildings, waste separation and procurement.

Procurement accounts for a significant share of organisations' CO₂ emissions, including at Aarhus University, which is now to lead a working group on circular procurement. The working group is one of five working groups under Climate Alliance Aarhus, which was established at the initiative of the City of Aarhus as a new collaboration between some of the largest businesses and organisations in Aarhus. The aim is to support the green transition to climate-friendly and sustainable workplaces and businesses in the municipality. Read about Climate Alliance Aarhus here

University Director Arnold Boon is pleased with the new alliance, which was launched on Wednesday 3 March with a kick-off event attended by a number of senior executives from business and industry in Aarhus.

"Finding climate-friendly solutions for workplaces in Aarhus is a task we need to carry out together across the public and private sectors, and across industries. As a university, and as one of the municipality's largest workplaces, we can make a key contribution to this collaboration with both research-based knowledge and practical experience. This is important work, and I'm confident that we can contribute valuable solutions to benefit the climate," says Arnold Boon.

AU to head working group on circular procurement

Climate Alliance Aarhus will focus on the green transition in transport, recycling, food, buildings, waste separation and procurement. The fact that Aarhus University is heading the working group on circular procurement is only natural according to Mogens Toft, head of procurement at AU Finance and Estates Projects and Development, who has overall responsibility for climate-friendly procurement at Aarhus University.

"As part of Aarhus University's climate strategy, we’re already looking into climate-friendly solutions for our procurement here at the university. We certainly don’t know all the answers, but we’re sure that, together with other stakeholders, we can come up with some interesting solutions for how we can incorporate circularity into the procurement process, and thereby reduce carbon emissions," says Mogens Toft.

There are indications that there is a lot to be gained in terms of cutting CO₂ emissions relating to procurement of goods and services. Mogens Toft explains that circular procurement can be achieved by purchasing products that can be recycled or reused wholly or partly, or by purchasing products with a longer life cycle. Climate focus could also be included in the specification of requirements in procurement processes.

When the working group on circular procurement meets for the first time during the next month, the group will decide more specifically what to work on.

FACTS: Circular procurement

Circular procurement originates from the circular economy, which considers the life cycle of the whole product and maintains the value of resources for as long as possible by reusing them several times.

Further information

• If you have any questions about AU's involvement in Climate Alliance Aarhus, you are welcome to contact Andreas Stounbjerg, project manager at Aarhus University, stounbjerg@au.dk.
• Read about Climate Alliance Aarhus here