Posted contributed by Melissa Morris, Executive Director of Procurement and Payment Services

We are excited to share the benefits of Auburn’s new office supply agreement with Staples. Not only does Auburn receive savings off regularly listed prices for our most ordered items, we also have the ability to place online orders, and receive next day, desktop delivery.

Look for the Eco & Diversity Products list in the category tab, or once in your category area click the “Eco-conscious” check box to filter for products that reduce our negative impact on the planet.

Staples joins Auburn as an environmentally-responsible organization.  Staples’ strategy for more sustainable solutions is to source and sell more eco-conscious products, maximize their energy efficiency, and minimize waste. Within Auburn’s ordering system they have integrated an option to show only ‘eco-conscious’ items. Once you have arrived at the page with all the available items in the category you’re shopping, simply check the ‘eco-conscious’ box near the top left of the page to see the wide range of sustainable options they offer in that category.

One area of the Auburn-Staples agreement that specifically benefits the environment is the $50 minimum order threshold.  This effort translates into saving trees and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, as it reduces use of boxes, packing slips, package labels, fuel usage, and emissions in shipping from Atlanta.  Though the minimum order threshold does require some advance planning by AU departments for your office supply orders, or possibly pooling orders with other departments in your area, we should all be proud to support this environmentally-friendly initiative.

We hope you join us in the movement of making purchasing decisions that support environmental responsibility, which directly support the university’s sustainability policies and goals.

If you have questions related to Staples, please contact Beth Owen at beth.owen@auburn.edu