Objective E1:
By 2020, Waterloo broadly distributes timely and audience-relevant information about sustainability initiatives and opportunities within the campus community
Progress: Mostly complete
Description: Waterloo continues to expand its communication on sustainability initiatives. These have shown year-over-year increases in engagement and participation. However, they still represent a minority of campus community members.
COVID restrictions in 2020 and 2021 also eliminated most in-person engagement opportunities, and forced a pivot to online engagement, with all its mixed opportunities and challenges. The Sustainability Office launched new channels, such as a podcast and newsletter, to create new opportunities to communicate with the campus community.
Indicators
26400Unique visitors on sustainability website in 2021
9000Sustainability report views and downloads in 2021
28300Engagements on social media channels
3900Followers on social media channels
4Campus-wide events or campaigns
Actions and Accomplishments
2022
- The Sustainability Office launched the Green Volunteer program
2021
- The Sustainability Office launched Wats Sustainable Podcast
2020
- The Sustainability Office hosted virtual Bike Month, Waste Week, Eco-Summit, and Earth Month
- The Sustainability Office launched monthly newsletter to highlight campus stories
2019
- The Sustainability Office hosted Bike Month, Earth Month, Waste Week, and Eco-Summit events or campaigns
- Waterloo featured regular stories on the Daily Bulletin to advertise events and programs
- Orientation programming continued for new employees
2018
- Human Resources provided new employees with sustainability information during orientation.
- Waterloo regularly featured sustainability stories on the Daily Bulletin
- The Sustainability Office expanded its social media to include Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels
- Campus announcements were released for employees and students on sustainability reports, events, and new services
- The Sustainability Office hosted Waste Week, Earth Month, and Bike month campaigns to provide opportunities for students and employees to be involved
Methodology
Data for page views and report downloads was pulled from Google Analytics. Social media engagement was tracked through SocialBakers and respective Twitter and Instagram analytics.
Objective E2:
By 2020, additional programming is developed for incoming students during orientation and in residences to encourage sustainable living on campus
Progress: Mostly complete
Description: Increased effort has been made to link with orientation activities, and through Housing and the Green Residence Ambassador Program to reach first-year students. COVID-19 diminished many of these opportunities, and efforts to restart and expand programming will be needed in future years.
Indicators
TBCapproximate percentage of first year students reached by introductory programming
Actions and Accomplishments
2020/21
- Campus Housing and the Sustainability Office continued the Green Residence program, pivoting to virtual engagement sessions for student leaders rather than peer-to-peer outreach
- Organized training sessions for interested Orientation Week leaders
- Created and shared sustainability content through various campus channels as part of virtual orientation weeks
2019
- The Sustainability Office integrated a session on sustainable living into Maximize Potential leadership program in collaboration with Housing and Residences
- The Sustainability Office piloted the Green Residence Ambassador program to expand reach among first-year students in residences
- The Sustainability Office officially launched the Green Residence Ambassador program Fall 2019
- The Faculty of Environment launched the Sustainability Diploma, available for undergraduate students in any faculty
- Students began organizing the Impact Alliance, to link the efforts of many sustainability-related clubs across campus using the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
2018
- The Sustainability Office integrated the Sustainability Guide into student orientation kits
- The Sustainability Office integrated a session on sustainable living into Maximize Potential leadership program in collaboration with Housing and Residences
- Formed the Sustainability Network after consultations with students from multiple clubs and societies
- Students met for five consecutive terms to share sustainability progress and challenges and connect with other student leaders
Objective E3:
By 2018, establish a sustainability leaders program in partnership with students from residences, clubs and societies, student government, and for students in off-campus housing
Description: Student leaders continue to engage in campus efforts through a variety of pathways. These have evolved over time with varying groups of students, but include the Green Residence program, Living Planet @ Campus, a variety of student groups, training and integration into Orientation Week, the SDG Student Hub, and opportunities to serve on University advisory committees.
In addition, WUSA has launched the Sustainability Commissioner position and engaged activity through the WUSA Sustainability Project.
Indicators
7Engagement pathways for student sustainability leadership on campus
Actions and Accomplishments
2022
- WUSA Sustainability Project launched the Student Sustainability Committee
2020
- WUSA launched the Sustainability Commissioner role
2019
- Students began organizing the Impact Alliance, to link the efforts of many sustainability-related clubs across campus using the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Waterloo launched the Green Residence program to empower student leaders in Campus Housing
2018
- Formed the Sustainability Network after consultations with students from multiple clubs and societies
- Waterloo joins the Living Planet @ Campus program, facilitated through WWF Canada
- Students met for five consecutive terms to share sustainability progress and challenges and connect with other student leaders
Objective E4:
By 2025, increase from 5% to 25% the proportion of university departments that are Green Office certified
Progress: Mostly complete
Description: Interest and activity within the Green Office program remained strong throughout 2020 and 2021, despite the pandemic. Several departments withdrew from the program due to the challenging circumstances, but overall there was an increase in the number of departments achieving designations.
And more employees completed the Sustainability Certificate to both train Green Office ambassadors and for general interest among employees, with over 400 registered or completed.
Indicators
18%University departments achieving at least Green Office Bronze
6%Approximate employee participation in Sustainability Certificate
Actions and Accomplishments
2022
- The Sustainability Office updated the structure and delivery of the Sustainability Certificate
2021
- As of June 2021, there were 54 departments representing more than 2,200 employees participating in the Green Office program
- As of June 2021, there were 3 Green Office Platinum, 3 Gold, 14 Silver, and 12 Bronze departments, and an additional 24 departments with participating ambassadors but have not yet achieved a designation
- The Sustainability Office updated the Green Office Scorecard to include more remote-working action items and resources
2020
- As of June 2020, there were 58 departments participating in the Green Office program, representing approximately 2,300 employees
- As of June 2020, 12 departments have achieved Green Office Bronze, 12 Silver, 2 Gold, and 1 Platinum, and an additional 31 departments have participating ambassadors but have not yet received a designation
2019
- As of June 2019, 42 departments were participating in the Green Office program, representing close to 1,700 employees
- As of June 2019, 13 departments have achieved Green Office Bronze, 7 Silver, and 2 Gold; an additional 20 departments have participating ambassadors but have not yet received a designation
- Waterloo updated the Green Office Scorecard in Winter 2019 to reflect ongoing campus improvements and program changes
2018
- As of June 2018, 35 departments were participating in the Green Office program, representing approximately 1,400 employees.
- As of June 2018, 1 department has received Gold Certification, 6 Silver, and 14 Bronze.
- 367 employees took part in Green Office Challenges during Earth Month 2018.
Methodology
Waterloo maintains a list of participating departments and ambassadors. The tiered certificates are based on a common scorecard which highlights actions that the department can undertake, and is managed by the Sustainability Office.
To calculate the total number of offices, the departmental listings for Academic, Academic Support Unit, and Ancillary units were utilized on the main university “About” webpage, and filtered for duplicates.
Because the Green Office program allows departments some flexibility to join as smaller units within a larger department (for example, Plant Operations – Design Services), the number of departments below reflects a slightly larger range of units than strict financial org units.
Objective E5:
By 2020, Waterloo is recognized as a sustainability leader in Waterloo Region
Description: Waterloo is actively immersed in local sustainability partnerships, networks, events, and collaborations. New collaborations are strengthening this position, and the University has been recognized with four community awards since 2016.
Indicators
4Local sustainability awards received since 2016
16Local non-academic community partnerships, memberships, board roles, or advisory involvement related to sustainability
Actions and Accomplishments
2021
- Waterloo received the "Breakthrough Award" from Sustainable Waterloo Region for the development of Shift: Neutral
2020
- Waterloo became a Pledging Partner for climate change with the Regional Sustainability Initiative, utilizing the commitments of Shift: Neutral
2019
- Continued participation in local sustainability networks and programs
- Assisted WGSI in development of Energize game framework
- Engineering Outreach hosted camp focused on sustainable development for high-school students
2018
- Program member of SWR programs including the Regional Sustainability Initiative, TravelWise, evolv1, and ClimateActionWR
- Continued to support Energize Challenge deployment, which has reached over 1,500 local students and community members
2017
- Breakout Award recipient from Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR) in 2017
- Waterloo designed and delivered the Energize: Sustainable City Challenge in collaboration with local partners including Waterloo Global Science Initiative, ClimateActionWR, and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, reaching over 750 youth and community members
- Waterloo hosted a public lecture on energy transformations in Waterloo Region as part of the annual PowerShift campaign in April, reaching over 140 community members
- Waterloo began integrating messaging into Canada Day activities to reduce the impact of event from waste, water bottles, and transportation
