| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.86 |
| Liaison | Nicole Arsenault |
| Submission Date | April 3, 2024 |
York University
EN-5: Outreach Campaign
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Nicole
Arsenault Program Director, Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Has the institution held a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at students and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes
Has the institution held a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at employees and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes
Name of the campaign:
Right the Future Campaign
A brief description of the campaign:
York is a leading international teaching and research university, and a driving force for positive change. The Right the Future campaign is a challenge for the York Community to create positive change in the future and tackle world issues together.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:
There are many campaigns and programs York has implemented to create positive change for the future. Examples are:
1) Creating a healthier planet through positive change: As a community of changemakers, York University is championing initiatives and funding research that is making a positive impact on our environment. York has led the way in Canada, introducing the first environmental studies faculty in the nation. Now called the Faculty of Environmental and Urban change, researchers are working on a diverse range of projects with local and global partners, including the Ecological Footprint Initiative, which tracks human consumption of renewable resources around the world; The Waste Wiki, that houses data to inform waste management decisions; and a global database project that tracks water quality in more than 12,000 freshwater lakes.
2) Creating positive change for a more inclusive future: At York, we believe that our core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion need to be at the forefront of all our work in order to create positive change, both locally and globally. This year, York was ranked first in Canada and 10th in the world for our actions towards Gender Equality and first in Canada and ninth in the world for Reduced inequalities by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
1) Creating a healthier planet through positive change: As a community of changemakers, York University is championing initiatives and funding research that is making a positive impact on our environment. York has led the way in Canada, introducing the first environmental studies faculty in the nation. Now called the Faculty of Environmental and Urban change, researchers are working on a diverse range of projects with local and global partners, including the Ecological Footprint Initiative, which tracks human consumption of renewable resources around the world; The Waste Wiki, that houses data to inform waste management decisions; and a global database project that tracks water quality in more than 12,000 freshwater lakes.
2) Creating positive change for a more inclusive future: At York, we believe that our core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion need to be at the forefront of all our work in order to create positive change, both locally and globally. This year, York was ranked first in Canada and 10th in the world for our actions towards Gender Equality and first in Canada and ninth in the world for Reduced inequalities by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
Name of the campaign (2nd campaign):
UNHack
A brief description of the campaign (2nd campaign):
UNHack is an annual community challenge for all undergrad post-secondary and grade 11 & 12 high school students to come together for an experiential learning opportunity with the Lassonde School of Engineering BEST Program. It brings students together to tackle pressing sustainability challenges defined by the SDGs. Students solve challenges alongside a team by following a structured design sprint methodology to help identify an important problem, develop a viable solution and build an implementation plan.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):
Many ideas birthed at the UNHack competition are brought to life and implemented in the community to create an impact. For example, a team from UNHack is in the process of creating a ride-sharing service in called RydUp for university commuters. In partnership with the university, RydUp aims to reduce single occupancy vehicles commuting to York on a daily basis.
A brief description of other sustainability-related outreach campaigns:
1. Green Office Certification: The Sustainable Office Certification program is designed to engage faculty, staff and students (with office space) in incorporating a wide variety of sustainable practices into the day to day operations of work spaces across the University. The program focuses on 5 key areas - Waste, Energy, Transportation, Purchasing, and Change. We invite office members at York University to go through a questionnaire created by the Office of Sustainability, designed to assess the scale of sustainability at their office! Certified offices will receive recognition, and the certification is good for one year from the date of submission.
2. Sustainable Event Certification: Events can have a large environmental impact, so the Office of Sustainability is encourages the community to make events more sustainable through considering factors such as waste management, accessibility and reducing or eliminating their carbon footprint. Sustainable Events Certification: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=GBNTNBFw1E-H8KQ4FsSb0Jzm1kd7-ThChm0WofHb-4tUODBKSUNLQTRDVjhTTVdKOE01TDBZN1FRNS4u
3. Social Media Challenges: The York University Sustainability social media pages periodically host challenges for the York community to create higher levels of awareness about sustainability and encourage them to create a more sustainable community. For example, YorkU hosted an Earth Month Challenge in April 2022 that encouraged the community to take action by completing as many challenges defined in the post. 21 members of the community participated to make a positive impact.
4. SDG Week: SDG Week Canada is a part of a national collaboration taking place from March 6-10, 2023 featuring workshops, panels, and other interactive programming to increase awareness of and engagement with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on university and college campuses. York is part of both the national and global movement happening during this week, focused on showcasing York's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
2. Sustainable Event Certification: Events can have a large environmental impact, so the Office of Sustainability is encourages the community to make events more sustainable through considering factors such as waste management, accessibility and reducing or eliminating their carbon footprint. Sustainable Events Certification: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=GBNTNBFw1E-H8KQ4FsSb0Jzm1kd7-ThChm0WofHb-4tUODBKSUNLQTRDVjhTTVdKOE01TDBZN1FRNS4u
3. Social Media Challenges: The York University Sustainability social media pages periodically host challenges for the York community to create higher levels of awareness about sustainability and encourage them to create a more sustainable community. For example, YorkU hosted an Earth Month Challenge in April 2022 that encouraged the community to take action by completing as many challenges defined in the post. 21 members of the community participated to make a positive impact.
4. SDG Week: SDG Week Canada is a part of a national collaboration taking place from March 6-10, 2023 featuring workshops, panels, and other interactive programming to increase awareness of and engagement with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on university and college campuses. York is part of both the national and global movement happening during this week, focused on showcasing York's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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