Archive

November 3, 2025 In

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

Turning Insights into Impact: Enhancing CNL’s Sustainable Procurement Approach

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) aims to be a sustainable, high-performing laboratory known as a trusted supplier and collaborator. To support this vision, CNL had created a Sustainable Procurement (SP) Standard and training materials. However, teams faced challenges fully integrating sustainability into processes, and vendor engagement efforts fell short of expectations.

To address this, CNL partnered with Reeve Consulting on a two-phase project. The goal was to assess the maturity of its sustainable procurement program and activate key improvements to drive greater impact.

 

Our Two-Phased Approach to Advancing Sustainable Procurement at CNL

Reeve Consulting designed and delivered a two-phased engagement to assess CNL’s current state and activate opportunities to advance SP practices. 

 

Phase 1: Assess SP Maturity

  • Document Review: Analyzed existing procurement policies, procedures, and strategy documents to evaluate CNL’s current SP integration.  
  • Stakeholder Interviews: Engaged Procurement, ESG, Indigenous Relations, and client departments to identify opportunities and challenges. 
  • Benchmarking Workshop: Facilitated a maturity assessment session to validate strengths, gaps, and priorities with CNL staff. 
  • Current State Report: Delivered a detailed maturity assessment report highlighting findings, gaps, and strategic focus areas. 

 

Phase 2: Building Program Elements

Following the assessment, Reeve Consulting collaborated closely with CNL to develop an actionable tools and frameworks through three dedicated workstreams: 

  • Sustainable Procurement Strategy and Action Plan: A refreshed strategic roadmap with a phased implementation plan, clear priorities, and measurable objectives to guide SP practices over the next three years. This was developed alongside a high-impact procurement opportunities (HIPO) list to help staff focus efforts on categories with the highest risk and opportunities. 
  • Training and Communications Plan: A comprehensive plan to develop and deliver role-specific knowledge to targeted audiences, strengthen internal capacity, enhance vendor engagement, and align training resources with program objectives. 
  • RFx Toolkit: A practical suite of tools and templates enabling staff to consistently integrate and evaluate sustainability considerations in procurements. 

 

To ensure these deliverables were relevant and actionable, Reeve Consulting co-developed them with cross functional CNL workstream of 4-6 team members each, incorporating staff feedback throughout the process. 

Through this phased approach, CNL achieved: 

  • Clarity on maturity and gaps: A comprehensive understanding of its current SP strengths and areas for growth, benchmarked against peers through the Canadian Collaboration for Sustainable Procurement. 
  • Strategic Roadmap: A refreshed SP Strategy and Action Plan with defined priorities, timelines, and measurable outcomes to advance sustainability goals. 
  • Enhanced Capacity: A Training and Communications plan to close knowledge gaps and embed sustainability practices across roles and functions.  
  • Practical Tools: An RFx toolkit that equips procurement teams to consistently apply sustainability criteria in solicitations and contracts. 

 

These outcomes position CNL to advance its sustainable procurement program, strengthen ESG performance, and reinforce its role as a trusted collaborator in Canada’s nuclear space. 

October 8, 2025 In

City of Nelson

From Policy to Practice: How Nelson is Building a Resilient Future Through Procurement

The City of Nelson is committed to building a sustainable, low-carbon, and resilient community. As outlined in Nelson Next and Nelson Path to 2040, the City aims for all municipal operations to be low-carbon and resilient. To achieve this, Nelson is adopting procurement practices that prioritize local, low-emission, and low- or zero-waste products and suppliers. In Spring 2025, the City partnered with Reeve Consulting to develop a more structured and strategic approach to sustainable purchasing.

 

Laying the Groundwork for Sustainable Change

Reeve Consulting worked closely with City’s Procurement, Climate & Energy, and Low Carbon Homes Pilot teams to help them kickstart their sustainable procurement journey. Key activities included:

  • Identifying high-impact procurement opportunities (HIPOs) within the City’s high-spend, high-risk, and high-opportunity categories.
  • Developing a practical, automated tool to embed sustainability criteria into RFx processes.
  • Delivering targeted training on sustainable procurement concepts, including a dedicated session on total cost of ownership.
  • Provided recommended language for an upcoming sustainable procurement protocol.

 

Empowering the City to Lead in Sustainable Procurement

As a result, the City now has clear guidance on priority procurement categories and tools to integrate sustainability into high-value purchasing processes. This positions the City to align future decisions with its low-carbon and resilience goals while sending a strong signal to suppliers.

August 20, 2025 In

Ontario Colleges Procurement Management Association (OCPMA)

Uniting Ontario Colleges in Sustainable Procurement

The Ontario Colleges Procurement Management Association (OCPMA) is a collaborative organization dedicated to uniting the procurement teams of the 24 colleges across Ontario. Through its mission of establishing a unified voice on critical topics and legislation, and supporting its members with driving meaningful change, OCPMA identified a need for its members to have consistent guidance and structure for advancing sustainable procurement.

 

Building a Scalable Framework with Reeve Consulting

OCPMA engaged Reeve Consulting to leverage the Reeve Best Practice Sustainable Procurement Program Framework and develop supporting resources and training, to strengthen the capacity of Ontario colleges to advance sustainability through procurement. While some colleges had made initial strides on sustainable procurement, there was a clear need for a unified and scalable approach grounded in public sector best practices and adaptable to each institution’s unique priorities.

Four Core Components of the Program

The project consisted of four primary components, all organized around the 10 key elements of the Reeve Best Practice Sustainable Procurement Program Framework:

  1. Reeve tailored a comprehensive Maturity Assessment Questionnaire and conducted assessments with each college to identify their own starting point and priorities.
  2. Based on the assessment results, Reeve developed recommended Activity Roadmaps for each college to follow in alignment with their capacity.
  3. Reeve developed a Resource Library consisting of guides and resource templates to support the colleges with implementing each of the 10 program elements.
  4. Reeve delivered a series of eight educational webinars for the colleges to deepen their learning and discuss challenges and success factors.

 

Strengthening Capacity Across All 24 Colleges

By the end of the two-year project, all 24 colleges had the framework, resources, and training to advance sustainable procurement. The initiative built long-term capacity, empowering procurement professionals to drive institutional change and align purchasing with Ontario’s sustainability goals.

 

Voices from the Colleges

“I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude and admiration for the exceptional services provided by Reeve Consulting on our recent project. Working with them has been an absolute pleasure, and their commitment to excellence has truly set them apart. From the initial planning stages to the final delivery, Reeve Consulting demonstrated a remarkable level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication. Their team’s proactive approach to problem-solving and attention to detail contributed significantly to the project’s success. Not only did they meet our expectations, but they consistently exceeded them, delivering high-quality results within the agreed-upon timeframe. The seamless collaboration, clear communication, and adaptability to our evolving needs showcased their commitment to customer satisfaction.”

— Sonia Karborani, Manager, Procurement
Seneca Polytechnic
July 4, 2025 In

Financial Sector Deepening Africa

Formalizing FSD Africa’s Sustainable Procurement Commitment

Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa), a development organization that strengthens financial markets to drive economic growth across Africa, aimed to formalize its commitment to sustainable procurement. They engaged Reeve Consulting to develop comprehensive Sustainable Procurement Guidelines and supporting resources to operationalize this commitment. 

How Reeve Consulting Designed a Sustainable Procurement Program for FSD Africa

To better understand FSD Africa’s procurement landscape, Reeve conducted 12 interviews with staff across various departments, identifying key opportunities and challenges. Based on these insights, Reeve developed the following components of a high-performing sustainable procurement program:

  • Sustainable Procurement Guidelines: A detailed guide covering category-specific and threshold-specific procurements, helping staff integrate sustainability into everyday and high-spend purchases. Click here to see the guidelines. 
  • Tools: Practical resources, including a market research guide, sustainability prioritization worksheet, clause menu, evaluation guide, and two factsheets, supporting staff through each step of the procurement process. 
  • Implementation Plan: To assist FSD Africa with the rollout of the Guidelines and ongoing program development, Reeve developed a three-year roadmap with actionable recommendations. 
  • Key Performance Indicators: To monitor and measure progress, Reeve developed a list of program, process, and outcome performance metrics.  
  • Training and Communications: Finally, to gain organization-wide awareness, Reeve developed and delivered a 60-minute training session to 70 FSD Africa staff, introducing the fundamentals of sustainable procurement, highlighting the guidelines, and the new tools to support their application. 
  • Supplier Engagement: FSD Africa hosted a supplier conference to announce their commitment to sustainable procurement and to foster collaboration. As part of this initiative, Reeve supported the development of a supplier newsletter and produced a video showcased at the event, illustrating the business case for adopting sustainable procurement practices.
  • Supplier Video: Reeve Consulting supported FSD Africa in developing a Sustainable Procurement Guidelines video to help suppliers understand how they can align their practices to meet with buyer expectations on new sustainability policies.

 

 

Empowering Action Through Sustainable Procurement

FSD Africa staff are now ready to prioritize sustainability, local suppliers, and women-owned businesses in procurement. The guidelines, tools, and training empower staff to transition theoretical concepts into actionable strategies for daily procurement activities. Additionally, the procurement team is prepared to sustain momentum by following the implementation plan and tracking progress through KPIs. 

Reeve Consulting is excited to continue supporting FSD Africa in the coming months and looks forward to seeing the long-term impact on local communities and women-owned enterprises.

July 3, 2025 In

Vancouver Development Project

From Construction to Community: City of Vancouver Project Delivers on Community Benefit Agreement Commitments

In 2018, the City of Vancouver introduced the Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) Policy to boost the local economy by prioritizing jobs for local and equity-seeking individuals and supporting social value businesses through procurement. The policy applies to development projects with floor areas of 45,000 m² or more, ensuring that Vancouver residents and businesses benefit from large-scale developments. Accordingly, this agreement commits the development team to apply best efforts to achieve the following targets:

  • 10% of all jobs must go to local, equity-denied groups, with priority for entry-level hires through the First Source Hiring Program.
  • 10% of material goods and services must be procured from third-party certified social impact or equity-seeking owned businesses, prioritizing Vancouver businesses. 
  • 10% of materials, goods, and services must be sourced locally, prioritizing Vancouver companies, then Metro Vancouver, then British Columbia. 

To implement the CBA, developers must engage a third-party monitor to collect and report data to the City of Vancouver each month, ensuring the project meets its targets.

 

Reeve’s Collaborative Approach to Social Procurement Monitoring

With its sustainable procurement expertise, Reeve Consulting partnered with Light House as a third-party monitor for a large housing and co-op development. Through this partnership, Reeve collects and reports sub-trade data to the City of Vancouver, ensuring the project meets Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) targets while coordinating with contractors and social value organizations.

Deliverables included:

  • Conducting training sessions to onboard new trades. 
  • Collect, verify, and aggregate data from sub-trades reporting on procurement spend and new hires. 
  • Collecting information on equity-seeking hires and the source of hire. 
  • Report data at monthly project-specific working group meetings. 
  • Develop relationships with social value employment agencies and businesses. 
  • Verify social procurement spend. 
  • Draft and finalize the annual report. 

 

Sustained Impact and Continued Partnership

The project has exceeded CBA targets throughout three years of development. By connecting sub-trades with social value groups and encouraging inclusive hiring, the project boosted the local economy. As the project progresses, Reeve Consulting and Light House will continue as third-party monitors during the operations phase to ensure accountability and lasting impact.

June 8, 2025 In

NorQuest College

From Vision to Action: NorQuest College’s Comprehensive Sustainability Strategy

NorQuest College is developing a Sustainability Strategy that reflects its commitment to making a positive difference in people’s lives, communities, and the world. While building on the college’s efforts and focus on equity, inclusion, and Indigenization, the Strategy helps NorQuest embed sustainability into the college’s operations, curriculum, and everyday work.

 

To address NorQuest’s request, Reeve conducted the following:

  • Develop a campus-wide survey to better understand the college’s priorities
  • Host 5 community partner workshops to prioritize and shortlist material issues
  • Develop a materiality matrix
  • Conduct a peer benchmarking assessment against 8 different post-secondary institutions across Canada, selected based on size, scope, and geographic location
  • Conduct a baseline assessment with staff and stakeholders to better understand current initiatives
  • Develop a Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan that is aligned with the College’s initiatives and future goals

 

NorQuest is now equipped with an in-depth Strategy that reflects their 2030 Vision, and builds upon their existing initiatives, while filling in the gaps in their programming. This Strategy will provide an overarching framework for the College to formalize their sustainability efforts.

April 14, 2025 In

Western University

Sustainable Procurement Program 

Western University is a global leader in sustainability, committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recognizing procurement as a key lever for sustainability, Western partnered with Reeve Consulting to develop and implement a comprehensive Sustainable Procurement (SP) Program. This multi-phase initiative has progressively embedded sustainability into procurement practices, policies, and supplier engagement, aligning with the university’s strategic priorities.

 

Recognition & Leadership

Western’s commitment and achievements were recognized with the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) Award for Overall Sustainable Procurement Program, showcasing their leadership and the strength of the collaborative work with Reeve Consulting.

 

Phase 1 (2022): Strategy & Roadmap Development 

Reeve Consulting assessed Western’s procurement maturity and co-created a strategic action plan, including: 

  • Current State Assessment of sustainable procurement practices 
  • Strategy & Action Plan to guide next steps 
  • High Impact Procurement Opportunities (HIPO) list for piloting sustainability 
  • Customized Toolkit for integrating sustainability into procurement 
  • Staff guidelines and KPIs to measure program success 

This phase established a clear vision, goals, and prioritized opportunities for Western to pilot sustainable procurement. 

 

Phase 2 (2023): Implementation & Capacity Building 

Western began executing the Action Plan with a focus on: 

  • Integrating sustainability criteria into HIPOs 
  • Training & communications to embed SP across the university 
  • Enhancing the SP Toolkit for usability and customization 

Phase 2 solidified foundational elements of the SP Program, ensuring stakeholder alignment and readiness for scaling. 

 

Phase 3 (2024): Refinement & Program Expansion 

Building on earlier work, Phase 3 advanced systemic adoption through: 

  • Updated Procurement Policy & Procedures with SP commitments 
  • Supplier Code of Conduct approval and compliance monitoring 
  • Refined tools for supplier engagement and risk assessment 
  • KPI tracking system to measure progress and STARS reporting 

 

Phase 4 (2025): Making an Impact

Western focused on deepening impact and expanding reach through:

  • Impact Measurement: Tracking sustainability outcomes beyond compliance
  • Supplier Risk Analysis & Human Rights Due Diligence: Strengthening ethical sourcing practices
  • Advanced Training: Building capacity across decentralized procurement teams
  • Supplier Engagement Strategy & Resources: Including a new supplier-facing video to explain Western’s sustainability expectations and how vendors can participate
  • Social & Indigenous Procurement Development: Laying the groundwork for inclusive procurement practices

 

 

Setting the Standard

Western is setting an example for universities and the broader public sector by demonstrating how sustainable procurement can drive meaningful environmental, social, and economic impact. Their work proves that procurement is a powerful lever for change.

April 14, 2025 In

BC Ferries

Sustainable Procurement Benchmarking & Action Planning

BC Ferries is continuing their sustainable leadership Journey in the marine transportation industry, as evidenced by their commitments to the Provincial Government’s GHG emissions reduction targets.

To support this effort, BC Ferries needed to take their sustainable procurement practice to the next level of impact. First, they needed to know where they were starting from, identify program gaps, and set out priority action areas informed from best practices.

BC Ferries turned to Reeve Consulting to help them better understand their current state, learn sustainable procurement best practices, and benchmark themselves against peer organizations. A key benefit of carrying out this project was improved engagement among the procurement team, environmental group, and client departments.

As part of better communications, BC Ferries also sought to tell their story in a simple and compelling way. In response, Reeve developed an infographic to showcase BC Ferries’ sustainable procurement journey to internal stakeholders.

With the help of Reeve, BC Ferries gained an understanding of what was needed to implement a high-performing sustainable procurement program, and worked with internal champions to create an action plan that could guide their efforts.

April 14, 2025 In

Thompson Rivers University

Sustainable Purchasing Guide, High Impact Procurement Opportunities List, Sustainability Factsheets, and Training Sessions

2024 – 2025

Thompson River University (TRU) engaged Reeve Consulting to advance the maturity of its sustainable procurement program by adopting a comprehensive four-pillar approach. While TRU had already integrated environmental, social, and ethical considerations into its procurement practices, the university sought to formalize and deepen this work—particularly by incorporating Indigenous values—and ensure alignment with institutional priorities. Led by the Procurement Services team, the initiative aimed to address gaps in procurement policy, supplier evaluation processes, and sustainability questionnaires. 

Reeve collaborated closely with TRU to co-develop a revised Procurement Policy that embeds sustainability principles and reflects the university’s strategic vision. A comprehensive Supplier Code of Conduct was created to articulate expectations around environmental stewardship, social equity, ethical business practices, and reconciliation with Indigenous communities. To support implementation, Reeve also developed a suite of practical Tools and Resources—including sustainability evaluation criteria and RFP language—enabling TRU to apply a consistent yet flexible approach tailored to procurement type and value. 

 As a result, TRU now has a strong foundation for advancing its sustainable procurement program. With an updated policy, a clearly defined four-pillar framework, and adaptable tools in place, the university is equipped to make informed, values-driven procurement decisions that support its broader sustainability goals. 

2019 – 2021

Reeve Consulting worked with Thompson River University (TRU) on several occasions to help them take initial steps in integrating their sustainability values into procurement practices and establishing a sustainable procurement program.

Reeve worked closely with both the Sustainability and Procurement teams to develop a Sustainable Purchasing Guide, a High Impact Procurement Opportunities (HIPO) List, a series of product sustainability factsheets, and deliver training to key stakeholders.

The Sustainable Procurement Guide directly supports TRU’s Campus Strategic Sustainability Plan by providing staff with guidance on how to include sustainability within standard procurement processes. The Guide is organized by procurement type, providing a simple set of steps for each, from p-card purchases to requests for proposals (RFPs). It also contains the following mini tools:

  • Risk and Opportunity Assessment Checklist
  • Supplier Leadership Questionnaire
  • Life Cycle Analysis Assessment Checklist
  • Total Cost of Ownership Worksheet

Reeve also brought together stakeholders from multiple departments, via interviews and a workshop, to identify where sustainable procurement could be best applied and have the highest impact on TRU’s supply chain. The resulting High Impact Procurement Opportunities (HIPO) List identified:

  • Categories with high spend and/or high potential for environmental and social impact
  • Categories in which contracts are up for tendering, renewal, or renegotiation in the near term
  • Categories where there is market readiness to provide more sustainable alternatives

Later, Reeve delivered Training Sessions for representatives from various internal client departments. The training sessions helped staff better understand TRU’s current sustainable procurement practices and available resources, shared previous examples and success stories, and provided tips on how to implement sustainability for various types of purchases.

Finally, Reeve developed 10 Sustainability Factsheets to help staff clearly and quickly identify issues, criteria, and recommendations for purchasing specific product categories – like professional services, office supplies, catering, and more. These Factsheets were distributed to the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee and staff across the university to support more sustainable decentralized purchasing.

Jim Gudjonson, Director of the Office of Environment and Sustainability: 

“This project has generated more focus and momentum for the next level of sustainable procurement across all departments of TRU. This was a very significant opportunity to come together to learn what each other has done and what they aspire to implement next. We came out of the project with clear successes to share and tools to engage the campus to take action in key categories.”

April 3, 2025 In

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)

Enhancing Supply Chain Transparency and Sustainable Procurement at CPKC

CPKC is the first and only single-line transnational railway linking Canada, the United States and México. Stretching approximately 20,000 route miles, CPKC provides North American customers with rail service and has network reach to key markets across the continent. With a supply chain that includes a diverse and global pool of suppliers from which the company purchases goods and services, CPKC has implemented a sustainable procurement program aimed at identifying and addressing environmental and social risks and opportunities in its supply chain. To further enhance these practices, CPKC engaged Reeve Consulting to support the refinement of its sustainable procurement program with a focus on updating its supplier risk management and supply chain disclosure practices. Over several months, CPKC’s Procurement and Sustainability teams worked with Reeve Consulting to develop an action plan suited to CPKC’s business operations and aligned with industry best practices to meet the project’s objectives. 

A Message From CPKC’s Management Team:

“Through our collaboration with Reeve Consulting, we have identified and implemented additional tools and strategies to enhance our sustainable procurement program and disclosure practices. The Reeve Consulting team was a pleasure to work with and we appreciate the expertise and support they provided on this project, and to our commitment to being a sustainably driven company.”