Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

March 2019

1. Context for the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS)

In keeping with the objectives of the act to make environmental decision-making more transparent and accountable to Parliament, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) supports reporting on the implementation of the FSDS and its Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy, or equivalent document, through the activities described in this supplementary information table. Although the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is not bound by the Federal Sustainable Development Act and is not required to develop a full departmental sustainable development strategy, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada adheres to the principles of the FSDS by implementing the Policy on Green Procurement.

The Policy on Green Procurement supports the Government of Canada’s effort to promote environmental stewardship. In keeping with the objectives of the policy, the IRB supports sustainable development by integrating environmental performance considerations into the procurement decision making process through the actions described in the “FSDS goal: low-carbon government” table in section 2, below.

2. Sustainable development in Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB)

The IRB’s Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy for 2017 to 2020 describes the Board’s actions in support of achieving low-carbon government goal for which it has organizational actions. This supplementary information table presents available results for the organizational actions pertinent to this goal. Last year’s supplementary information table is posted on the IRB’s website. This year, the Board is also noting which UN SDG target each organizational action contributes to achieving.

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

FSDS goal: low-carbon government

FSDS targetFSDS contributing actionCorresponding departmental actionsSupport for United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) targetStarting points where available and performance indicators for departmental actionsResults achieved
Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) 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.
  • Integrate environmental considerations into procurement processes, request for proposals/ quotations, and evaluations of bids and proposals.
  • Ensure that staff, at various levels, receive training to support and/or implement green procurement.
  • Promote and encourage the procurement of goods and services in support of the Policy on Green Procurement.
  • Ensure senior officials include contribution to and support for the Government of Canada Policy on Green Procurement objectives in their performance evaluations.

Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities.

UN SDG 12: Targets & Indicators

  • Percentage of procurement tools that include and incorporate criteria related to green procurement.
  • Percentage of procurement staff and acquisition card holders that have completed the necessary training on green procurement
  • Approximately 60% of IRB procurement tools incorporate criteria related to green procurement
  • All (100%) Procurement staff and acquisition card holders are obligated to complete the Green Procurement Training via the Canada School of the Public Service

3. Report on integrating sustainable development

During the 2018-19 reporting cycle, the IRB had no proposals that required a Strategic Environmental Assessment and no public statements were produced.