| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 86.26 |
| Liaison | Karen Oberer |
| Submission Date | Jan. 17, 2024 |
McGill University
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Karen
Oberer Sustainability Officer McGill Office of Sustainability |
Is the institution currently a member of a national or international higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):
United Nations University Global Coalition (UGC)
Staff in the Office of Sustainability participate in monthly meetings as part of the SDG 2 Zero Hunger Consortium. Projects include faculty workshops to promote inter-university research and an International Student Challenge to facilitate student research between members of the consortium (and beyond).
https://universityglobalcoalition.org/sdg2-zero-hunger-consortium/
https://universityglobalcoalition.org/signatories/
Nature Positive Universities: https://www.naturepositiveuniversities.net/
Does the institution actively participate in a regional, state/provincial, or local higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) – Canada
McGill Office of Sustainability staff participated in the 2022 Together | Ensemble Conference on the SDGs, giving a presentation entitled, "Reflecting on SDGs reporting in higher education institutions."
https://togetherensemble.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SDS001_TE-Conference-Report_EN_22-07-25.pdf
https://www.unsdsn.org/canada
Réseau Universitaire Québécoise en Développement Durable (RUQDD) [no website]
Has the institution presented at a higher education sustainability conference during the previous year?:
A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
Staff from the McGill Office of Sustainability and from Université Sherbrooke co-presented at the AASHE Global Conference for Sustainability in Higher Education in October 2022. Their presentation was entitled, "Building Carbon Offset Projects: Two Case Studies from Quebec Universities." Its goal was to share early lessons, to kickstart a conversation to explore big questions around university-led carbon offsetting, and to initiate a peer exchange to avoid reinventing the wheel.
Another staff member from the McGill Office of Sustainability and others from the University of Manitoba and Concordia University co-presented at the 2022 GCSHE as well. Their presentation, "How to Create a Sustainable Virtual Event Certification," used case studies from each university to outline processes for creating a virtual event certification, address challenges and obstacles, and propose recommendations.
Finally, in June 2022, the Executive Director and staff from the McGill Office of Sustainability presented "Embedding Sustainability in University Governance and Administration" at the annual Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) conference. The presentation focused on McGill's recent successes in embedding sustainability considerations into various levels of university governance and key takeaways from these efforts.
Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to an external higher education sustainability resource center or awards program?:
A list or brief description of the sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s):
In May 2023, McGill's Sustainable Labs Officer submitted a case study to AASHE's Campus Sustainability Hub. The case study described the development of the Sustainable Lab Community Engagement Campaign, a series of engagement initiatives and action-oriented resources to build culture and integrate sustainable practices into research and teaching lab operations across campus.
https://hub.aashe.org/browse/casestudy/27325/Sustainable-Lab-Community-Engagement-Campaign
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In 2022, McGill University won a Quality and Productivity Award from the Canadian Association of University Business Officers for its case study, "Encouraging Staff Engagement with the Sustainable Workplace Certification." The case study described how the Office of Sustainability re-designed its certification program in 2021 to accommodate remote work, with the goal of encouraging all stakeholders to establish a culture of sustainability both at home and in the workplace.
Has the institution had employees or students serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years?:
A list or brief description of the board or committee appointment(s):
The Executive Director of McGill's Office of Sustainability, François Miller, is currently Vice President on the AASHE Board of Directors (until Dec. 31, 2023) and will be President of this Board from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024).
https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/board-of-directors/
Mr. Miller is also currently on the "Destination harmonieuse" Board Subcommittee of Tourisme Montréal.
https://apropos.mtl.org/fr
Does the institution have an ongoing mentoring relationship with another institution through which it assists the institution with its sustainability reporting and/or the development of its sustainability program?:
A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:
Krista Houser (McGill Office of Sustainability) provided mentoring to staff at the University of Washington (UW Sustainability) as they set up their Campus Sustainability Fund. As the Steward of the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF), Krista offered guidance around the fund’s organizational structure, financial processes, project approval, project management, communications, key challenges, etc. The relationship between the two institution continues, as MOOS staff continue to collaborate with UW Sustainability on projects, such as the 2020 AASHE GCSHE Conference presentation, entitled, "University Sustainability Funds 2.0: A Model for the Next Generation." In 2023, MOOS's Sustainability Manager Shona Watt worked with and co-presented at the GCSHE conference with Kyle McDermott from the University of Washington. Their presentation was entitled "Leveling Up Sustainability Funds for Strategic Goals and Bigger Impact."
Has the institution had employees or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the peer review activities:
McGill STARS Liaison, Karen Oberer, reviewed Colgate University's STARS submission in 2022, along with Christine Seibert of Williams College.
A brief description of other inter-campus collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year :
Website URL where information about the institution’s inter-campus collaborations is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.