| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.92 |
| Liaison | Mat Thijssen |
| Submission Date | Oct. 26, 2021 |
University of Waterloo
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Mat
Thijssen Sustainability Manager Sustainability Office |
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in curriculum and/or research?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:
•Waterloo has 7 sustainability objectives related to academics, with either quantitative or qualitative metrics established. These include expanding the number of Living Lab projects facilitated by the institution, as an example, which are found in the Environmental Sustainability Strategy: https://uwaterloo.ca/sustainability/about/environmental-sustainability-strategy
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address student, employee, or community engagement for sustainability?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:
Waterloo has 5 sustainability objectives related to engagement, with either quantitative or qualitative metrics established, which are found in the Environmental Sustainability Strategy: https://uwaterloo.ca/sustainability/about/environmental-sustainability-strategy
As an example, we target having 25% of all departments certified to Green Office bronze at minimum, and have a goal for all incoming students to have an exposure or experience of sustainability in their first year.
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:
Waterloo has 14 sustainability objectives related to operations, with either quantitative or qualitative metrics established, which are found in the Environmental Sustainability Strategy: https://uwaterloo.ca/sustainability/about/environmental-sustainability-strategy
This includes developing a climate action plan, which has short term reduction targets for 2025 and 2030 (17.5% and 35% respectively), as well as a long-term carbon neutral goal; achieving 60% waste diversion, reducing water intensity by 5%, increasing sustainable commuting modesplit by 5%, and securing 40% of food purchases from local or sustainable sources.
Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address diversity, equity, and inclusion; sustainable investment/finance; or wellbeing?:
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:
Waterloo has a commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of its complete investment portfolio by 50% by 2030, and become carbon neutral by 2040, which are included as part of the reports generated by the Responsible Investing Advisory Group to the Board of Governors: https://uwaterloo.ca/sustainability/news/university-waterloo-commits-reduce-carbon-footprint-its. Waterloo has also set goals to increase female representation in various parts of the campus, including STEM students, female faculty, and leadership: https://uwaterloo.ca/heforshe/
Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
Website URL where the institution’s highest guiding document is publicly available:
Which of the following best describes the inclusion of sustainability in the highest guiding document?:
The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
The formal statement in support of sustainability:
The institution’s definition of sustainability:
Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| The Earth Charter | No |
| The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) | No |
| ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter | No |
| Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability | --- |
| SDG Accord | --- |
| Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment | No |
| The Talloires Declaration (TD) | No |
| UN Global Compact | No |
| Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) | No |
A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts 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.