Please note that this is an on-going project.
Project Description
‘Towards Our Sustainability Goals’ is the major initiative from the AEL Sustainability Advisory Group to establish a set of guidelines to direct our Group’s activities in relation to events, procurement, and participation in local, national and international initiatives that are assisting global efforts to address climate change. In addition, the guidelines are embedded in the University’s strategic goals of halving carbon emissions by 2030; and Net Zero emissions by 2050. The Guidelines have been revised and approved by all levels of the AEL Group, and by the University Sustainability Sub-Committee for release to all staff within the AEL Group. The aim of the guidelines is to provide information to colleagues about how to run and cater for sustainable events, and how to engage in sustainable procurement and supply practices. The Guidelines make it clear that the information provided will assist colleagues in their working activities, but should also have an impact on the way they live — ensuring sustainable products in the home, sustainable transport practices, and engagement with important national and international initiatives aimed at addressing climate change. These include engagement with Plastic Free July, the Earth Hour Initiative, and campaigns for divestment in fossil fuels.
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
Everyone benefits from applying the guidelines to ensure environmentally safe products, foods etc are used on a daily basis and that decisions around this are prioritised when organising events. Administrative staff working in all Schools and Centres are strongly encouraged to consult the guidelines when making arrangements for events and ordering products etc; and all AEL School Committees now have a Sustainability Report as a Standing Item on Committee meetings, to be delivered by the relevant AEL Sustainability Advisory Group member. All Heads of School and Research Centre/Institute Directors have approved the guidelines and committed to the principles therein.
Outcomes to Date
After 18 months of development the Guidelines are now available for distribution to our Group, although all School and Centre Committees have been socialised to the guidelines for the past 12 months. Representatives from Griffith Sciences, Health and Business on the USSC have indicated their willingness to develop their own guidelines as a key activity of their sustainability committees, with a view to a University-wide document being developed in the coming 12 months.
Project Significance
The Guidelines are designed as both an educational tool for our colleagues, and to ensure carbon-low or carbon-zero products and activities are more carefully embedded in to the daily operations of our Schools and Centres. This includes attempting to address the ‘big ticket’ items of reducing electricity consumption on campus and being mindful of aviation emissions etc while also educating and providing information around recycling practices, using carbon-low meats and/or vegetarian options at all University events that we are involved in organising, removing plastic bottles from all Group events, reducing use of non-recycled plastic from events, encouraging the purchase of only post-waste Forest Stewardship Council paper for photocopiers and any necessary printed materials, etc.