Keen to rid the world of plastic bags and straws?
That’s a great first move!
However, achieving sustainability is about more than just plastics.
(P.S stay tuned till the end for more tips and tricks you can do on your part to help!)
Sustainability encompasses three pillars:
People
The ability of society to equitably and persistently achieve good social well-being.
Planet
Living within the means of our natural resources.
Prosperity
The ability to support a defined level of economic production indefinitely.
Sustainability is a state where the health of the natural environment can endure while supporting human well-being and our economic environments. These are often referred to as the three pillars of sustainability. Simply put, it is living well within our planetary boundaries.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable development is a pathway to sustainability. At a historic UN Summit in September 2015, world leaders adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals provide a useful framework of relevant components of sustainable development.
(hover over and click on the icons to learn more!)
June 2017
Victoria University of Wellington became the first New Zealand university to sign up to the international initiative known as the University Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Big Picture
In a world that’s obsessed with making processes faster and easier for everyone, we’re
running a linear timeline of production to landfill that simply isn’t sustainable.
Sustainability touches and impacts every single person on Earth and we should all be
taking actions towards a sustainable future.
As a large organisation we at Victoria can make a significant contribution towards a sustainable future through our teaching and learning, research, engagement and everyday behaviour.
Learning, Teaching and Research
Learning, teaching and research are how sustainability is integrated into core academic practices and the wider student experience, which is where the university - and YOU - can make the greatest contribution to a sustainable future.
Hover over the SDG icons to see how Victoria contributes to them!
The provision of scholarships and the hardship fund for students challenged financially.
All of the tertiary teaching the University provides; the early childhood, primary and secondary teacher training that the University provides; and extracurricular learning provided through opportunities such as Victoria Plus and Victoria International Leadership Programme.
The interdisciplinary research, which connects the University academics with external stakeholders to contribute to the goals.
Partnerships and Engagement
Our partnerships, engagements and collaborations with external and internal stakeholders support the university's sustainability initiatives. The university recognises its civic duty to engage with the wider community including businesses, government and civil society on sustainability issues.
Hover over the SDG icons to see how Victoria contributes to them!
The purchase of competitively priced electricity from a renewable generator—Meridian Energy.
The commercialisation of research delivered by VicLink and the facilitation provided by Careers and Employment to connect employers with students.
The facilitation of volunteer opportunities for students and staff offered by CareerHub and the provision of public access to the University’s facilities such as sports fields, art galleries, and so on.
Sustainable procurement practices, the promotion of fair trade on campus, and the collaboration with retailers on campus to encourage sustainable practice.
The partnership with Wellington City Council to deliver the annual Climathon event and through the connection to the numerous organisations involved in helping reduce the carbon emissions of the University.
The Coastal Ecology Lab held open days for the public.
The annual Growing Graduates tree-planting event hosted for students and delivered in partnership with the Wellington City Council.
Participation in the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, which was specifically established to promote the goals, as well as other sustainability-focused partnerships and networks.
Facilities and Operations
Through the university's facilities and operations management, we monitor the environmental impact of our campuses
and business practices. This is where we make a visible demonstration of our commitment to sustainability,
with tangible environmental and financial benefits.
Click here
to take a sustainability tour of the campus.
Hover over the SDG icons to see how Victoria contributes to them!
Through the water conservation measures such as water-efficient fittings, minimised irrigation, and rain water harvesting initiatives.
Through the significant investment in energy efficiency measures and the increasing use of on-site renewable energy generation.
Through strategic asset management planning and ITS resilience planning to ensure our campus infrastructure is robust.
Through input to public transport planning and promotion, the provision of publicly accessible gardens, the provision of accessible routes and facilities for those with physical disabilities, and our emergency preparedness planning and welfare provisions.
Through waste minimisation and resource- efficiency initiatives, sustainable procurement practices, and appropriate handling of hazardous and trade waste.
Through our initiatives to actively measure and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions from the University’s operations.
Through the appropriate management of waste water to prevent pollution and excessive burden on the city’s infrastructure.
Through the enhancement of biodiversity on campus from pest control and grounds- management practices.
Leadership and Governance
Victoria's leadership and governance link to the university's strategic direction for sustainability through the people who make up our community, and how we as a community work together in achieving a sustainable institution.
Hover over the SDG icons to see how Victoria contributes to them!
The availability of the fruit and vegetable co-op, community gardens, the community pantry, and distribution of surplus food from Kaibosh, facilitated by the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association.
The services of Student Health and Student Counselling, the staff and student Wellness teams, Victoria Recreation, Diasbility Services, and the pastoral care provision of Student Accommodation and Victoria International.
Management processes to ensure a consistent high standard of teaching, equal access to education, and increasing numbers of people receiving education.
The continued high proportion of female staff and students and the development of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion framework.
The revenue growth of the University and the increasing employment opportunities provided there. The wider Wellington economy also benefits from the increasing student population.
The University-wide commitment to secure the intellectual potential put at risk through experience of disadvantage, particularly for Māori and Pasifika.
The facilities and support provided for the Māori and Pasifika and religious communities on campus, such as Pasifika Haos, Te Herenga Waka marae, the Pacifika Student Success team, Āwhina (the on campus whānau for Māori students), and prayer rooms.
Public reporting of environmental impact and responsible investment decisions (such as the divestment from companies involvement in the exploration and extraction of fossil fuels).
Management processes to fairly elect representatives to governance positions (University Council, Academic Board, and so on) and transparency of annual reporting (in the University’s Annual Report).
Performance Indicators
