| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 78.59 |
| Liaison | Beverley Ayeni |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
University of Toronto Mississauga
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Samantha
Diiorio Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Management and Planning |
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):
AASHE - The University of Toronto has been a member of AASHE since 2010.
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):
Ontario College and University Sustainability Professionals (OCUSP) - UTM has been a member of OCUSP since its inception in 2008. UTM staff member(s) regularly attends monthly meetings, the OCUSP Annual General Meeting, and also served on the Board of Directors in the past.
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):
At the conference "Sustainability: Transdisciplinary Theory, Practice, and Action" which was held at UTM in October 2023, the following presentations were given by UTM staff and/or faculty:
Disclosures of Sustainability Performance Information; UTM Climate Positive Campus Action Plan, Arash Ghorayshi Senior Energy Engineer (Panelist)
The Future Wave: Youth and Climate Advocacy, Beverley Ayeni, Senior Manager, Sustainability and Energy Management (Chaired Panel)
Stories of Sustainability in Action: Lessons from across the tri-campus, Beverley Ayeni, Senior Manager, Sustainability and Energy Management (Panelist)
Sustainability campus tours were also offered to conference attendees.
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):
U of T has applied to the London-based Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings for the past two years. QS uses a methodology comprised of key performance indicators that measure an institution’s ability to tackle the world’s greatest environment, social, and governance (ESG) challenges. Last year U of T ranked 2nd and this year, it was recently announced U o f T has ranked first out of 1,400 institutions across 95 countries.
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 Sustainability: Transdisciplinary Theory, Practice, and Action (STTPA) Conference ran three full days from Wednesday, October 11th to Friday, October 13th, 2023 at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus in Maanjiwe Nendamowinan and the Instructional Centre Buildings.
In total, we welcomed approximately 300+ attendees including guests from around the world. The STTPA Conference was comprised of 12 Plenary Keynote Sessions, and 137 presenters.
In addition to the sessions hosted, the STTPA Conference held 2 Sustainability Tours of the University of Toronto Mississauga, a Poster Presentation viewing by the MScSM Class of 2024 students and conference delegates, and exhibitor tables.
The Organizing Committee is comprised of faculty, staff, and students from various departments and disciplines across UTM.
UTM’s Principal’s Sustainability Advisory Committee meets four times per year and is comprised of staff, faculty, students, and community members. https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/green/home/governance
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:
UTM created a Sustainability Strategic Plan, that includes 5 key pillars, and over 100 targets to be achieved over a 10-year period. Since the release of this Plan, other institutions, such as Toronto Metroplitan University (TMU) (formerly, Ryerson University), Simon Fraser University, and George Brown College have reached out to the Sustainability Office for advice on how to create their own Sustainability Plan, where the Senior Manager, Sustainability and Energy Management has met with staff to share expertise and give guidance. Meetings are scheduled on a as needs basis, and UTM is always open to sharing our experiences. Moreover, monthly meetings between all three UofT campuses occur, which began as more of a mentorship opportunity from UTM to the other two campuses.
Additionally, as a seasoned STARS reporter, the Senior Manager, Sustainability and Energy Management, shares tips and information on navigating STARS via the OCUSP STARS working group, and over email when needed.
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:
n/a
A brief description of other inter-campus collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year :
UTM actively participates in monthly Ontario College and University Sustainability Professionals (OCUSP) meetings and offers to present/share information during these meetings. As well as shares information via OCUSP’s email listserv. UTM also works closely with the other two U of T campuses, meeting monthly, and recently has formed a working group to tackle waste diversion and reduction as a tri-campus. Lastly, UTM check-in's with Sheridan College on initiatives pertaining to the City of Mississauga and how they impact our institution.
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.