| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 54.92 |
| Liaison | Leila Lamoureux |
| Submission Date | Dec. 9, 2024 |
Babson College
PRE-4: Reporting Methodologies
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Leila
Lamoureux Director, Sustainability and Campus Utilization Facilities |
Narrative outlining the data collection process used in the preparation of this report:
At Babson College, the AASHE STARS reporting committee consisting of sustainability interns, the Associate Director of Social Impact and Sustainability, the Faculty Director and the newly appointed Director of Sustainability has established an efficient data collection system to accurately report on the Colleges sustainability initiatives. Acknowledging the challenges of sustainability reporting the committee adopted Airtable, a collaborative tool to streamline data gathering, organization and review processes.
Airtable plays a role, in managing the committees data. Its adaptable framework enables the creation of databases to meticulously track every facet of the Colleges sustainability performance. With an interface and collaborative functionalities all committee members including sustainability interns can easily input, update and monitor data in real time. This ensures consistent access to information fostering a transparent and coordinated approach, to data management.
The process kicks off with each member of the committee taking charge of collecting data related to their specific area of focus like energy consumption, waste management, curriculum integration and community involvement. This information is then methodically inputted by students into Airtable allowing for organization into different categories tagging with relevant metrics and adding comments or notes as necessary. Airtables capacity to support attachments, links and comments enriches the record keeping of sustainability efforts and outcomes. Once the data is gathered it goes through a comprehensive review process within Airtable. The committee members work together to validate the accuracy of the data cross check it against previous reports and ensure it meets the standards set by AASHE STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System). Any inconsistencies or missing information in the data are addressed collectively drawing on the diverse expertise, of the committee members.
Once the data goes through a review and approval process it gets transferred to the AASHE STARS reporting tool.
List of personnel who led the reporting process:
Professor David Blodgett
Joshua Stevenson
Leila Lamoureux
List of additional personnel who contributed to the reporting process:
Steve Gusmini
Jessica Wright
Steve Tolley
Ryan Travia
Linda Kean
Kate Deeb
Jerry Epps
Paula Doherty
Jennifer Forbes
John Pagano
Tumen Bayar
Nancy Doherty
Patricia DiGirolomo
Rythanne Madsen
Jaimie Robitaille
Tim Lyon
Meredith Stover
Noel McCann
Marjory Aarons
Caitlin Capozzi
Sadie Burton Goss
Jared Pierce
Christina Hamilton
Alison Moppet
Colleen Meader
Kate O'Leary
Mike Metcalf
Kevin Brown
Denicia Ratley
David Foscaldo
Katya Santiago-Taylor
Laura Carfang
Were students involved in the data collection process?:
Narrative outlining how students were involved in the data collection process:
See narrative above
Description of the internal data quality controls used in the preparation of this report:
As highlighted in our narrative outline the sustainability interns played a role in assisting with the Airtable collection tool which was key to our data management and reporting efforts. These undergraduate interns were vital not in entering and organizing data within Airtable but also in troubleshooting and enhancing the tool to adapt to the committees changing requirements.
Their tasks involved making sure that all pertinent data was accurately recorded classifying and tagging entries for easy access and collaborating with other committee members to confirm the completeness and accuracy of the information.
Through their engagement with the Airtable tool the sustainability interns not only supported the committees immediate data collection needs but also gained practical experience with management software advancing their professional growth in sustainability practices.
Were any independent audits or external assurance processes used in the preparation of this report?:
Narrative outlining the independent audits or external assurance processes used in the preparation of this report:
Babson contracted with Gordian (previously Sightlines) to analyze the College's Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
Notes about the information provided for this credit:
Additional documentation for this credit:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.