Nova Scotia Community College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Community Impact is one of the major values in NSCC's Strategic Plan "Here and Now". NSCC campuses have the educational and technological assets and industry connectivity to spur local innovation and experiential learning directly linked to community business, environmental and social issues and opportunities. Connecting students with community innovators in collaborative spaces will spark local growth, economic development and social enterprise impact.
NSCC is a comprehensive access college that strives to ensure all students’ learning experiences are aligned with their historic and current reality, free
from systemic barriers to success.
NSCC nurtures a welcoming and inclusive culture so students from all communities can gain skills and knowledge to work in the Nova Scotian and global economies. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 2016 Report and Recommendations compels NSCC to expand opportunities and approaches that contribute to the elimination of education and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. As the leading provider of post-secondary education for Mi’kmaq students, NSCC is perfectly positioned to respond to this vitally important, and urgent, call to action. NSCC is taking deliberate, immediate steps to support Indigenous students’ success, and to expand employment options and opportunities for Indigenous students and communities across Nova Scotia.

A selection of specific goals that NSCC is working on in this areas as outlined in our Strategic Plan "Here and Now" have been listed below:
• ensure core community innovation elements – workshops/events, entrepreneurship programs, industry liaison and access to shared technologies – are present at each campus
• enhance flexible and accessible programming in collaboration with African Nova Scotian communities
• ensure educational equity, inclusion and universal design in programs and services for all students
• enhance supports and programs for international and new immigrant students
• increase opportunities for students’ global and cross-cultural experiences
• become a signatory institution to Colleges and
Institutes Canada’s Indigenous Education Protocol
• ensure NSCC structures and approaches are in place to address Indigenous peoples’ learning needs
• leverage NSCC’s pan-provincial reach and network to support Indigenous-led community economic and social development
• expand programs and partnerships in key national, regional and provincial industry growth sectors to align with government priorities
• expand program pathways for key sectors through strategic post-secondary and community initiatives
• use philanthropic investment to expand specialized, industry-focused learning experiences

NSCC has set sustainability goals for our operations in the areas of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and waste disposal. Progress towards these goals are tracked and published every year in our annual sustainability report. Below are some of our long term goals and objectives:
- Reduce energy consumption by 50% by 2050 compared to levels in 2008/09
-Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 compared to levels in 2008/09
-Reduce water consumption by 55% by 2050 compared with levels in 2008/09
- Reduce waste disposal to 15 kg/person and year by 2021 and maintain a waste diversion rate of 65% for each campus.
Sustainability is one of the College's core values and is listed in our Strategic Plan (see attached). We set goals for sustainability in our formal, published annual sustainability report (https://www.nscc.ca/docs/explorenscc/nscc-annualsustainabilityreport-2019.pdf). Each category in the report lists goals for our sustainability operations goals.

Diversity and Inclusion are two of NSCC's values as listed in our Strategic Plan "Here and Now". We are committed to creating a culture of genuine inclusion that is free from discrimination and harassment and where our students, employees and the communities we serve are treated with fairness, dignity and respect. We are intentional in our efforts to build diversity as a core strength. We recognize diversity of knowledge, worldview and experience as an asset and a key driver of success in advancing innovation, creativity and excellence. NSCC strives to ensure educational equity and inclusion across all student supports and services.

A selection of specific goals that NSCC is working on in this areas as outlined in our Strategic Plan "Here and Now" have been listed below:
• develop and implement an inclusive and comprehensive mental health and wellness strategy
• create tools and resources to strengthen educational equity, diversity and inclusion
• expand opportunities for cultural and global experiences
• expand student engagement and leadership opportunities
enhance flexible and accessible programming in collaboration with African Nova Scotian communities
• ensure educational equity, inclusion and universal design in programs and services for all students
• enhance supports and programs for international and new immigrant students
• increase opportunities for students’ global and cross-cultural experiences
• infuse diversity, inclusion and employee equity across all programs and services
• develop and implement a comprehensive and inclusive mental health strategy
• expand programs and services to enhance employees’ health, well-being, resilience and personal development

We commit to the continuous development of the social, economic, cultural and environmental sustainability of the College and our communities.

NSCC's Sustainability policy states that "sustainability is defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Bruntland, 1987)."