2019-2020 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

1. Introduction to the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

The 2016 to 2019 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. The Veterans Review and Appeal Board (VRAB, the Board) adheres to the principles of the FSDS, and while not bound formally by the Act, supports reporting on the implementation of the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

2. Sustainable development in the Veterans Review and Appeal Board

The Veterans Review and Appeal Board’s Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy for 2017 to 2020 describes the department’s actions in support of achieving the FSDS goal: low-carbon government. This supplementary information table presents available results for the departmental actions pertinent to this goal. Previous years’ supplementary information tables are posted on the Board’s website.

3. Departmental performance by FSDS goal

The following table provides performance information on departmental action in support of the FSDS goals listed in section 2.

Context: Low-Carbon Government

The Board supports the transition to a low-carbon economy through green procurement. For the 2019-20 reporting cycle, it identified a range of measures to do this, which include:

  • establishing performance targets related to specific goods or services with the goal of reducing their environmental impact;
  • training on green procurement for acquisition card holders;
  • including green procurement objectives in the performance management agreements of key procurement staff; and
  • promoting environmental considerations in the workplace.
Low-Carbon Government: The Government of Canada leads by example by making its operations low-carbon
FSDS target FSDS contributing action Corresponding departmental actions Starting points
Performance indicators
Targets
Results achieved Contribution by each departmental result to the FSDS goal and target
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from federal government buildings and fleets by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030, with an aspiration to achieve it by 2025 Support the transition to a low-carbon economy through green procurement Ensure environmental considerations are taken into account in procurement activities by including green procurement objectives in the Performance Management Agreements for key procurement staff. Starting Point: 100%
Performance indicator:
Percentage of keyprocurement staff whose Performance Management Agreements includes green procurement objectives.
Target: 100%
Result: In 2019-20, 100% of the Board’s 3 key procurement staff had green procurement objectives in their Performance Management Agreements FSDS: Green procurement incorporates environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and is expected to motivate suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of their goods, services and supply chains

UN SDG:
SDG 12 – Target 12.7
Enhance capacity to incorporate environmental performance consideration into procurement decisions by requiring that all new acquisition cardholders take green procurement training within one year of hire. Starting Point: 100%
Performance indicator:
Percentage of acquisition cardholders that take green procurement training within one year of hire.
Target: 100%
Result: In 2019-20, 100% of the Board’s 3 acquisition cardholders were trained in green procurement within one year of hire.
Set a minimum of three green procurement targets to reduce the environmental impact of purchases.    
  1. 90% of accommodation stays will take place in establishments that have a high environmental rating based on an industry recognized tool.
Starting Point: 85%
Performance indicator:
Number of accommodation stays that meet the target objective relative to the total number of all accommodation stays in the given year.
Target: 90%
Result: In 2019-20, 94% of the Board’s accommodation stays took place in establishments that have a high environmental rating based on an industry recognized tool.
  1. 90% of purchases of imaging hardware will include criteria to reduce the environmental impact associated with the production, acquisition, use and/or disposal of the equipment.
Starting Point: 100%
Performance indicator:
Volume of imaging hardware purchased that meet the target objective relative to the total volume of all imaging hardware purchased in the year
Target: 90%
Result: In 2019-20, 100% of purchases of imaging hardware included criteria to reduce the environmental impact associated with the production, acquisition, use and/or disposal of the equipment.
  1. 90% of toner cartridges are recycled at end of life.
Starting Point: 100%
Performance indicator:
Volume of toner cartridges recycled relative to the total volume of toner cartridges purchased in the given year.
Target: 90%
Result: In 2019-20, 100% of toner cartridges were recycled at end of life.

 

Report on integrating sustainable development

 

During the 2019–20 reporting cycle, the VRAB had no proposals that required a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and no public statements were produced.