Engagement data

Objective E1

By 2020, Waterloo broadly distributes timely and audience-relevant information about sustainability initiatives and opportunities within the campus community

Progress: Completed

100% full pie chart - 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.

Methodology

Data for page views and report downloads was pulled from Google Analytics. Social media engagement was tracked through Emplifi and respective Twitter and Instagram analytics.

Indicators

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55,300 unique visitors on sustainability website in 2023
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21,500 engagements on social media channels
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3,000 followers on social media channels
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5 campus-wide events or campaigns

Actions and accomplishments

Historic actions and accomplishments

2021

  • The Sustainability Office launched WAT's Sustainable Podcast
  • The Sustainability Office hosted virtual Earth Month, Bike Month, Waste Week, and Eco Summit activities

2020

  • The Sustainability Office launched monthly newsletter to highlight campus stories
  • The Sustainability Office hosted virtual Earth Month, Bike Month, Waste Week, and Eco Summit activities

2019

  • Waterloo featured regular stories on the Daily Bulletin to advertise events and programs
  • Orientation programming continued for new employees
  • The Sustainability Office hosted Bike Month, Earth Month, Waste Week, and Eco Summit events or campaigns

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, Bike Month, and Eco Summit campaigns to provide opportunities for students and employees to be involved

Objective E2

By 2020, additional programming is developed for incoming students during orientation and in residences to encourage sustainable living on campus

Progress: Completed

100% full pie chart - 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.

Indicators

100% percentage of first year students reached by introductory programming

Actions and accomplishments

Historic actions and accomplishments

2019

  • The Sustainability Office integrated a session on sustainable living into Maximize Potential leadership program in collaboration with Campus Housing (formerly Housing and Residences)
  • The Sustainability Office piloted the Green Residence Ambassador program to expand reach among first-year students in residences in partnership with Campus Housing
  • 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

Progress: Complete

A full pie chart, illustrating the objective has been completed

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. 

Indicators

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11 engagement pathways for student sustainability leadership on campus

Actions and accomplishments

Historic actions and accomplishments

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

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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.

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.

Indicators

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24% University departments achieving at least Green Office Bronze
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475 employees have completed the Sustainability Certificate

Actions and accomplishments

Historic actions and accomplishments

2020

  • 58 departments participated in the Green Office program, representing approximately 2,300 employees
  • 27 departments achieved Green Office certification, including 1 Platinum, 2 Gold, 12 Silver, and 12 Bronze

2019

  • 42 departments participated in the Green Office program, representing close to 1,700 employees
  • 22 departments achieved Green Office certification, including 2 Gold, 7 Silver, and 13 Bronze
  • The Sustainability Office updated the Green Office scorecard to reflect ongoing campus improvements and program changes

2018

  • 35 departments participated in the Green Office program, representing approximately 1,400 employees
  • 21 departments achieved Green Office certification, including 1 Gold, 6 Silver, and 14 Bronze

Objective E5

By 2020, Waterloo is recognized as a sustainability leader in Waterloo Region

Progress: Completed

A full pie chart, illustrating the objective has been completed

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 five community awards since 2016.

Indicators

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5 local sustainability awards received since 2016
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21 local non-academic community partnerships, memberships, board roles, or advisory involvement related to sustainability

Actions and accomplishments

Historic actions and accomplishments

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 Waterloo Global Science Initiative in development of Energize game framework
  • Engineering Outreach hosted camp focused on sustainable development for high-school students

2018

  • Program member of Sustainable Waterloo Region 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

  • Waterloo received the “Breakout Award” from Sustainable Waterloo Region
  • 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

Related links

Explore more of Waterloo's progress: