Our Services

The Delta Institute provides companies, municipalities, and organizations with technical assistance to green their purchasing activities and supply chains. Environmentally, green products simply contain less toxic compounds. This means that manufacturers are using less toxic raw materials to make these products and buyers are using a safer product.

Delta works with private companies and public agencies to understand and green their purchasing profiles. We understand that purchasing and supply chain management is inextricably linked to all facility operations and we take those connections into account as we work with purchasing professionals. Many of the green purchasing projects we have been involved in link purchasing with other organizational sustainability initiatives such as U.S. GBC LEED, sustainability planning, or energy efficiency.

We help companies and municipalities to develop and implement green purchasing programs by providing:

• strategic planning
• policy development and implementation
• research and technical assistance
• training
• measurement and verification
• consortium or group purchasing opportunities

Project Spotlight – An example of our work

The Delta Institute has convened the first nation public-private purchasing consortium in West Michigan. The West Michigan group includes large manufactures, universities, and local government to pool purchasing volumes and dollars to buy green products. Delta administers the consortium for the group as well as provides technical assistance on green products.

On the policy front, the Delta Institute has been instrumental in assisting the City of Chicago to develop a green procurement ordinance for City agencies. Delta drafted an ordinance for the City that focused on reducing toxics, minimizing waste, and increasing efficiency. The ordinance is expected to pass through City Council in the first quarter of 2008.

An example of the type of technical assistance we have provided organizations is summarized below.

Organization	Project	Expected Environmental Outcome
Merchandise Mart	Green product evaluation and recommendation Institutionalize green product purchasing	Switching to 30% recycled copy paper will results in the following savings over the 3-month period: 6 tons of wood 27 MM BTUs of energy 3,423 pounds CO2 14,208 gal of water 1,825 pounds of waste at the paper mill
Heartland Alliance	Purchasing process evaluation	Heartland Alliance is still in the process of implementing a green purchasing program. However, they are recycled content paper and their goal is to reduce paper use by 40%. If they reduce their use from approximately 7,480 reams per year to 4,490 reams per year they can achieve the following benefits: 18 tons of wood 247 MM BTUs of energy 37,807 pounds CO2 123,000 gal of water 14,511 pounds of waste at the paper mill
Green Restaurant Co-op (30 restaurants)	Product evaluation Form co-op	Restaurant co-op is still in the process of purchasing its first series of green products. The co-op will be purchasing recycled content napkins and tissue paper. Delta Institute developed the co-op's mission, which can be found at www.buygreenchicago.org.
MSC	Packaging evaluation	Completed a review of purchasing program and evaluated green purchasing opportunities associated with product shipping activities.
City of Chicago Aviation DGS Emergency Services Streets and Sanitation	Green product evaluation and recommendation- janitorial supplies contract Purchasing process evaluation Ordinance	Developed a draft green purchasing ordinance for city agencies. Delta is currently working with the City to green it janitorial services contract.
UIC	Product evaluation	Delta is continuing to evaluate their janitorial products. It is likely UIC will become an anchor member of the Chicago consortium.
Cook County	Update green procurement ordinance	Delta provided recommendations to updating the ordinance. Ordinance is still in draft form.
Institute of Supply Management	Board membership Chair of Social Responsibility Committee