Go to Sustainability homepage

You are here: Home » What We Work On » Purchasing » Success Stories in Purchasing » Multi-functional Devices

Photo of panel of copy machine show 2 sided print selection.

By defaulting to double-sided, we remove a barrier to taking action to reduce paper use.

Multi-functional Devices

Multi-function devices (MFDs) are a key business tool for effective and efficient document management. They function as a combined printer/fax/scan/copier machine, which can help agencies reduce their paper use and move to electronic records storage, two key sustainability initiatives adopted by our Board of Supervisors in 2012. The County has contracted with Toshiba and Konica Minolta to lease MFD equipment.

How We Did It:

  • We identified the new MFD contract as an opportunity to institutionalize paper use reduction and energy conservation, both of which are priorities for our County.
  • We reached out to key stakeholders in each department to let them know what to expect when their new equipment was installed.
  • We engaged our vendors in developing strategies for ensuring consistent implementation of equipment settings and comprehensive training for staff.

Challenges:

  • In departments where duplexing was new, it can take time for staff to get used to the change. We provided training sheets to remind them of how to use the various paper saving functions.
  • With two vendors, it was important to ensure consistency of the new equipment set-up to meet sustainability goals. We developed a checklist for vendors to complete and submit as an installation report.

Benefits:

  • We saved staff time and reduced our environmental footprint by institutionalizing sustainability policies like paper use reduction and energy conservation through this contract.
  • We promoted a healthy workplace by ensuring new equipment meets strict indoor air quality requirements.

Documents

Related Links