Sustainability

• About
• Reporting our performance
• Education for sustainable development
• Our practices
  • Recycling
  • Energy and Water
  • Responsible purchasing
    • Fair Trade
  • Greener Government Building Project
  • Sustainability in the regions
• La Trobe Institute for Social and Environmental Sustainability
• Learn about sustainability

La Trobe University is committed to following sustainable practices in purchasing across the University. Policies and procedures are continuously reviewed to ensure that appropriate sustainability statements and directives are incorporated.
For example, we have added an 'environmental sustainability' criterion into goods/services tenders, so that environmental sustainability is evaluated along with criteria such as ‘value for money’.

Recycled paper at La Trobe

The University has made the transition to white 100 per cent recycled post consumer waste paper. Post consumer waste is used paper (newspapers, magazines, documents, printed pages) from offices and homes that is recycled back into quality usable paper, reducing human consumption of natural resources. A change to recycled paper is a simple and efficient way the University can minimise its environmental impact and benefit the wider community. In fact:

University staff will now have the choice of purchasing two types of A4 paper, A3 and A5 from OfficeMax under codes:

1992325 - OfficeMax Copy Paper A4 100% Post Consumer Recycled - Whiteness 135 CIE, Acid free, Archival years 200+

1990055 - Canon Paper 100% recycled - Whiteness 150 CIE, Acid free, Archival years 200+

2388162 - OfficeMax Copy Paper A3 100% Post Consumer Recycled - Whiteness 135 CIE, Acid free, Archival years 200+

2191601 - OfficeMax Copy Paper A5 100% Post Consumer Recycled - Whiteness 135 CIE, Acid free, Archival years 200+

University fleet system

Our policy on the purchase of cars for the University fleet has resulted in a reduction in the number of vehicles purchased by the University.
The University purchases four-cylinder cars where possible, reducing fuel consumption. The University fleet will also take part in an initiative, beginning in 2012, to monitor and maintain correct tyre pressure, thereby saving fuel.

Fair Trade at La Trobe

In 2010, La Trobe University's application to the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand was successful. Read the press release.
Fair Trade is an alternative trading system that ensures:

• fair prices to farmers

• fair wages to labourers

• proper working conditions

• no child labour

• no slave labour.

Fair Trade provides justice for workers and communities in the developing world through paying fairer prices and providing better conditions.

Our Fair Trade accreditation was a joint movement involving staff and students. It underscores the University's ambition to provide socially responsible leadership to its community.

To read more about La Trobe's Fair Trade movement visit our Fair Trade case study page.

Download the University's Fair Trade policy [PDF 37.0 KB]