McGill Office of Sustainability 1010 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1200
Montreal, Quebec H3A 2R7 Tel: 514-398-2268
TO: Senate
FROM: Michael Di Grappa, Vice-Principal, Administration and Finance/ Martin Krayer von Krauss, Manager, Office of Sustainability
SUBJECT: Vision 2020: A Sustainability Strategy for McGill University
DATE: April 23, 2014
DOCUMENT #: D13-61
ACTION INFORMATION APPROVAL/DECISION REQUIRED:
ISSUE:
Presentation of McGill University’s Sustainability Strategy, developed through Vision 2020, a community engagement process.
BACKGROUND & RATIONALE:
Working within the mandate of McGill’s Sustainability Policy (2010), Vision 2020 was initiated by McGill’s Office of Sustainability in February 2012 to broadly engage the McGill community in developing the following: i) a vision, ii) goals and iii) actions for sustainability at McGill. Vision 2020: A Sustainability Strategy for McGill University (Appendix A) – recently approved by McGill’s senior team consisting of the Principal, Provost and Vice-Principals – includes one vision, 23 goals, and 14 actions for a sustainable McGill. The Strategy is presented across five categories: Research, Education, Connectivity, Operations, and Governance & Administration. The vision and goals describe an ambitious future state for sustainability at McGill and are intended to orient the University’s sustainability efforts. The actions describe concrete projects for the period 2014-2016. The Sustainability Strategy will be updated in 2016 to include new priority actions. A companion document to the Sustainability Strategy titled Priority Action Briefs 2014-2016 (Appendix B) has also been prepared in consultation with implementing partners. This document clarifies the context for each of the 14 actions, the relevant implementing partners, and establishes a set of deliverables for the period 2014-2016. All partners implicated in the implementation of specific actions have approved their respective action briefs. The Vision 2020 process was notable for the degree to which it engaged and energized a broad cross-section of the McGill community. While sustainability efforts at McGill have increased over the years, McGill is now equipped with a Sustainability Strategy to guide action and to ensure meaningful progress toward sustainability goals. Over the next two years, the McGill Office of Sustainability will support and coordinate partners involved in the
Memorandum
McGILL UNIVERSITY SENATE
implementation of the 14 priority actions, and report back on progress in 2016. MOTION OR RESOLUTION FOR APPROVAL:
N/A
PRIOR CONSULTATION:
Vision 2020 demonstrated a creative model for consultation with the McGill community through a strategic, generative, inclusive, and exciting engagement process. Over two years, more than 1500 students, faculty, and staff came together at 35 events, sharing their ideas for McGill’s sustainable future. A Steering Committee, comprised of key actors from within the McGill community (see Appendix C of Appendix A), has been consulted on a regular basis. Priority actions were selected in consultation with the Vision 2020 Steering Committee and implementing partners, taking into consideration feedback from engagement events. The Senate Committee on Physical Development (SCPD), the Joint Board-Senate Committee on Equity (JSBCE), and the JSBCE Subcommittee on Women have been consulted during the Vision 2020 process. The vision and goals included in the Sustainability Strategy were endorsed in 2012 by the Students’ Society of McGill University, the Macdonald Campus Students’ Society, the McGill Association for Continuing Education Students, and the Post-Graduate Students’ Society. The senior team consisting of the Principal, Provost and Vice-Principals, approved the Sustainability Strategy on March 21st, 2014.
NEXT STEPS: • Presentation of Vision 2020: A Sustainability Strategy for McGill University to McGill’s Board of Governors in May 2014.
• Official media launch of Vision 2020: A Sustainability Strategy for McGill University in fall 2014.
• Implementation of the 14 priority actions by partners (see Appendix B) in 2014 – 2016, with support and coordination provided by the McGill Office of Sustainability.
APPENDICES: Appendix A: Vision 2020: A Sustainability Strategy for McGill University Appendix B: Priority Action Briefs 2014-2016 Appendix C: Supplementary Materials
VIS ION 2020 :
A SUSTA INABIL ITY STRATEGY FORMCGILL UNIVERS ITY
D13-61 Appendix A
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“MCGILL UNIVERSITY ASPIRES TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE STANDARDS OF SUSTAINABILITY ON ITS CAMPUSES AND IN ITS DAY-‐TO-‐DAY ACTIVITIES THROUGH ITS ACADEMIC PRACTICES, IN ITS
FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS, AND BY ITS OUTREACH TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY.”
MCGILL SUSTAINABILITY POLICY, 2010
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ABSTRACT
Sustainability at McGill has come a long way in the past several years. The McGill Sustainability Strategy emerged
out of a need to coordinate and scale up the sustainability initiatives already underway at the university, and to provide a framework for future endeavours. In alignment with the McGill Sustainability Policy (2010) and the
product of extensive community engagement, the Sustainability Strategy presents one enduring vision for sustainability at McGill, 23 long-‐term goals, and 14 priority actions for the period 2014-‐2016. The goals and actions
are presented across five categories: Research, Education, Connectivity, Operations, and Governance & Administration. The Sustainability Strategy will be updated in 2016 to include new priority actions.
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
BENCHMARKING OUR SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE .......................................................................................... 6
DEFINING SUSTAINABILITY ....................................................................................................................................... 7
FIVE CATEGORIES OF SUSTAINABILITY AT MCGILL ................................................................................................... 8
DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY .................................................................................................................................... 9
THE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY ............................................................................................................................. 10
MCGILL’S SUSTAINABILITY VISION .......................................................................................................................... 11
RESEARCH ........................................................................................................................................................... 12
EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................................................ 13
CONNECTIVITY .................................................................................................................................................... 14
OPERATIONS ....................................................................................................................................................... 15
GOVERNANCE & ADMINISTRATION ................................................................................................................... 16
MOVING FORWARD ................................................................................................................................................ 17
CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................................................... 18
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INTRODUCTION
What role will McGill University play in creating a future where both people and the planet can flourish? How can
we, as an institution, as a community, and as individuals, move toward that more sustainable future?
The answers to these questions can be glimpsed in many places around McGill’s campuses. Some of us catch sight
of them as we discover Quebec-‐grown food in the cafeterias, or when we tackle real-‐world problems in classrooms designed for collaboration. Others see them when renovation projects enable creative energy savings or research
equipment is purchased with lifecycle costs in mind. And many see the less tangible sustainable developments – connections and relationships -‐ being created by diverse groups of students, faculty, and staff who congregate to
relax and learn after classes or push together for positive change.
Sustainability is not a new concept for McGill. Grassroots action, paired with administrative support, has been a
key driver of progress and policy changes since the 1990s. Yet, until recently, many sustainability initiatives lacked a sense of connection, shared purpose, and broader support. Sustainability priorities have been emergent, actions
have been decentralized, and progress has occurred in the absence of an over-‐arching strategy for and from the whole university community.
This is changing. In the past several years, McGill’s students, staff, and faculty have worked together to establish
McGill’s Office of Sustainability, create the flagship Sustainability Projects Fund, and adopt a comprehensive
Sustainability Policy. Over this period, there has been a groundswell of projects and initiatives around sustainability, spanning McGill’s downtown campus in the heart of Montreal, our Macdonald campus in Sainte-‐Anne-‐de-‐Bellevue, and the networks that connect us with communities near and far.
The people behind sustainability initiatives on campus are working harder than ever to address the full scope of sustainability -‐ social,
economic, and environmental – while honouring and connecting with the efforts of many others. As momentum builds, many are
beginning to see themselves as part of a loosely woven movement that spans societal and professional boundaries. Perhaps most
importantly, sustainability is gradually being recognized as fundamental to McGill’s mission and value in society.
There remains, however, a lot of ground to cover. And so while the Sustainability Strategy has emerged as a result of a slow culture
shift, it is also presented as a catalyst for its quickening. With no time to lose and an enormous amount of work to be done, this
strategy will provide an important touchstone for progress on sustainability in the coming years. Developed by the McGill
community as one element of an ongoing community engagement process, the vision, goals, and actions included here were written
with the aim of integrating, institutionalizing, and scaling up the culture of sustainability at McGill. Here we go.
WHY A SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY?
This strategy fulfills a directive of McGill’s Sustainability Policy (2010), which calls for “a sustainability plan with specific goals and objectives”. It also provides a conceptual framework that may inform and support the future application of guiding documents at McGill that integrate sustainability as a priority—e.g., Achieving Strategic Academic Priorities (2012), the Strategic Research Plan (2013), the Master Plan Principles Report (2008), the Procurement Policy (2013), and the Student Services Core Values & Goals.
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BENCHMARKING OUR SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE
Before developing this strategy, McGill completed a comprehensive Situational Analysis1 to benchmark our
sustainability performance relative to peers and best practices. The primary framework used to assess McGill’s performance -‐ the AASHE STARS2 framework—is the most widely endorsed system for tracking sustainability at
universities in North America. McGill earned a rating of mid-‐range silver when it reported to AASHE STARS for the first time in 2012.
Based on these results, it would be easy to conclude that McGill’s sustainability performance is in the middle of the pack. Generally speaking, this is true. However, digging a little deeper reveals a more complex story. In some areas,
McGill is setting the bar -‐ for example with the $840,000 per year Sustainability Projects Fund, the campus food system, and efforts to green and pedestrianize the campuses. However, in other areas we lag substantially behind
our peers -‐ for example in energy efficiency and green buildings.
To better understand McGill’s sustainability performance, it is important to keep in mind that context matters—the areas where McGill is leading and lagging are deeply tied with the culture and characteristics of McGill as an
institution. We have 37,000 students hailing from 150 countries, administer approximately $500 million of research funding, and operate roughly 200 buildings, 82 of which were built before 1940. We have a working farm,
a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and a main campus that is located at the centre of a multicultural, multilingual metropolis where the mean temperature in July is 35 degrees Celsius higher than the mean temperature in
January. Though we will strive to do better across the board, a sustainable future will look different at McGill than it would at another university.
The vision, goals, and actions laid out in the Sustainability Strategy are consistent with the scope of
sustainability measured by the AASHE STARS framework, and progress toward our own goals can be expected to translate into an improved AASHE STARS rating. It is important to keep in mind, however, that earning a Gold
AASHE STARS rating is not a goal in and of itself; rather, it is an indicator that we are making progress toward the sustainable future we have articulated for ourselves. It is also worth recalling that benchmarking isn’t everything—
some of the most important aspects of sustainability are among the most difficult to measure, and sustainability is not a competition among institutions. It is an ongoing challenge to learn to live equitably within the limits of a
finite planet.
1 Vision 2020: A Situational Analysis. 2012. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/mcgill_situational_analysis.pdf. 2 The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has developed the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) for universities to measure their sustainability performance. Available: https://stars.aashe.org/.
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DEFINING SUSTAINABILITY
In October of 1987, Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report, was published by the World
Commission on Environment and Development, and the term sustainable development was officially defined:
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.”3
Since this influential beginning, sustainability has shed its explicit connection to development and expanded into an interdisciplinary dialogue on social, economic, and ecological wellbeing.4 The rich diversity of contemporary
approaches to sustainability, however, means that a universally-‐agreed upon definition of the word remains elusive. While basic principles, such as the consideration of interconnected systems over longer time scales, are
common across the board, actions are often tailored to local scenarios. As with other relative concepts such as beauty or democracy, the concept of sustainability requires interpretation within a given context.
Here at McGill, the Sustainability Policy (2010) asserts that the mission of the University “will be attained
responsibly by carrying out its activities in a manner that achieves a balance between the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability.” With this in mind, we can define sustainability for our purposes as
working together toward a shared vision for a flourishing future in a manner that integrates social, economic, and environmental dimensions. These dimensions form the foundation of the vision, goals, and actions that make up
this strategy, and are well aligned with the norms established by organizations such as the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education5 and the Global Reporting Initiative.6
Seeking to situate this general definition within a local context, the Vision 2020 process essentially crowd-‐sourced a more nuanced understanding of what sustainability means for McGill. When asked to envision a sustainable
future, McGill’s students, staff, faculty and administrators answered with the ideas presented here.
They also identified five categories of sustainability. These provide a framework for addressing the work we’re doing here, and reflect the five key areas in which a university can make a positive difference within society:
Research � Education � Connectivity � Operations � Governance & Administration
3 United Nations. 1987. Our Common Future; The World Commission on Environment and Development. Available: conspect.nl/pdf/Our_Common_Future -‐ Brundtland_Report_1987.pdf 4 Adams, W.M. 2006. The Future of Sustainability: Re-‐thinking Environment and Development in the Twenty-‐first Century. Available: www.iucn.org 5 AASHE defines sustainability “in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations.” Available: www.aashe.org 6 Sustainability reporting consists of measuring, understanding, and communicating an organization’s “economic, environmental, social and governance performance.” Available: www.globalreporting.org
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FIVE CATEGORIES OF SUSTAINABILITY AT MCGILL Research: This category encompasses the ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘who’ of research at McGill, and considers research activities conducted both on campus and elsewhere. Education: This category focuses on student, staff, faculty, and institutional learning. Connectivity: This category emphasizes the need for strong connections, both within McGill and with the local and global communities of which we are a part. Operations: This category encompasses the physical activities that support the ongoing functioning of the University. Governance & Administration: This category addresses how the University is managed in terms of people, funding and finance, decision-‐making, and process implementation.
Figure 1. Through a process of community engagement, five categories and their related themes were identified as key to sustainability at McGill.
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DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY
The Vision 2020 process through which this strategy was developed has been led by McGill’s Office of
Sustainability (MOOS) and funded by the Sustainability Projects Fund. The process was guided by a multi-‐stakeholder steering committee7 and supported by a core project team.
The contents of the Sustainability Strategy, however, come from the McGill community. Since February 2012, over one thousand McGill community members have contributed their visions and action ideas to this process through
more than twenty public events, dozens of presentations, and online. Students, staff, and faculty were engaged in countless conversations, world-‐café style discussions, flash consultations, one-‐on-‐one interviews and working
groups to imagine and plan for a more sustainable McGill.8 The engagement process neither intended to nor succeeded in reflecting every voice in the McGill community, but care was taken to talk with and listen to a diverse
cross-‐section of McGill stakeholders.9
This strategy emerged from those conversations, which have been distilled into one vision, 23 goals, and 14 priority actions for
sustainability at McGill. Many other action ideas were discussed over the course of Vision 2020, and it is expected that these will inform the
development of the next iteration of the Sustainability Strategy (2016-‐2018). It is important to note that many actions not currently reflected
in the Strategy will also be pursued over the coming years. A groundswell of sustainability projects is currently underway, with
students, staff, and faculty actively working together on every scale to foster positive changes at the University. Continuing to connect with,
support, and learn from these individuals and groups will be crucial to the development of sustainability at McGill.
Nevertheless, and despite our best intentions, two years from now one
or more of the actions listed here may still be on the “to do” list. Conditions change and flexibility will be needed as we adapt to them.
Our challenge is to stay rooted in our vision and goals for sustainability while continually seeking skillful approaches to getting there.
7 See the McGill Office of Sustainability website for a complete list of the Steering Committee members. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/2013-‐2014_vision2020_steeringcommittee.pdf 8 See Appendix A of the Vision 2020 draft Vision and Goals Report (2013) for more details on the engagement process. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/2013-‐03-‐01_draft_sustainability_vision__goals_rev.pdf . This process summary will be updated in March 2014. 9 For reflections and lessons on how Vision 2020 did and didn’t live up to its principles, see the Vision 2020 Impact Report and Failure Report. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/impact_report_final.pdf; http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/failure_report_final.pdf.
VISION 2020’S PRINCIPLES OF ENGAGEMENT
• Inclusive of the McGill community
• Receptive to existing knowledge
• Adaptive to lessons learned along the way
• Transparent in decision-‐making and prioritizing
• Holistic in approach to engagement and recognizing the valuable roles played by everyone.
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THE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
In crafting the Sustainability Strategy, the Vision 2020 core team and Steering Committee have sought to balance
realism and ambition, asking both “Is this possible?” and “Is this enough?”
The vision of the Strategy is ambitious. It describes a desired future state and sets a long-‐term direction for
McGill’s sustainability efforts.
The goals are equally ambitious but more specific and detailed.10
The actions ground us in the present day. They ask: what can we do in the next two years (2014-‐2016) to move
one more step toward our vision and goals?
Many members of the McGill community have already signed on to specific actions as partners, demonstrating a growing momentum toward sustainability and also the distributed responsibility that characterizes the movement.
A companion document to the Sustainability Strategy – titled “Priority Action Briefs 2014-‐2016” describes each action in more detail and lists the partners involved in implementing actions.
The actions and partners are slanted toward the administrative side of the University. This is intentional—the groups listed here play vital roles in shaping the policies, practices, and culture of McGill. The priority actions, as
presented here, fall squarely within their mandates. The sustainability vision and goals, however, belong to everyone. The section entitled “Moving Forward” (page 17) touches on the many ways individuals, units, faculties,
and others can help move McGill toward the sustainability vision and goals presented here.
10 The vision and goals are intended to guide direction, not policy. Any programmatic changes inspired by these goals in the future will be submitted to and vetted by the relevant approval bodies as they are developed.
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MCGILL’S SUSTAINABILITY VISION
The vision and goals describe a desired future. They are written in the present tense to make that future easier to imagine.
MCGILL RECOGNIZES AND EMBRACES THE UNIQUE RESPONSIBILITY OF UNIVERSITIES TO SUPPORT SOCIETIES IN THEIR TRANSITION TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY. WE GENERATE THE KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. WE CULTIVATE CITIZENS AND LEADERS WHO HAVE THE SKILLS AND COMMITMENT TO PUT THAT KNOWLEDGE INTO PRACTICE. THIS IS ONE OF THE LEADING PLACES IN NORTH AMERICA TO STUDY AND LEARN ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY.
MCGILL—AS AN INSTITUTION AND A COMMUNITY—“WALKS THE TALK” OF SUSTAINABILITY IN ALL THAT WE DO. OUR DECISIONS AND ACTIONS REFLECT OUR ROLE AS PART OF NATURE AND OUR DUTY TO CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS AND THE PLANET. OUR CAMPUS COMMUNITY IS DIVERSE, CARING, AND INCLUSIVE—A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE AND IDEAS FLOURISH.
AT MCGILL, WE STRIVE TO BE ONE OF THE BEST UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD BY DOING OUR BEST FOR THE WORLD.
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RESEARCH
VISION FOR 202011
A rich diversity of research is conducted at McGill by faculty, students, staff and community partners. We value both curiosity-‐driven and problem-‐oriented research for their ability to generate knowledge and contribute to society. Recognizing the interconnected nature of complex local, regional and global issues, we collaborate across disciplines to inform and advance solutions to contemporary problems. We are aware of and responsible for the environmental, economic and social implications of our research.
WE WILL KNOW WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS WHEN THE FOLLOWING GOALS ARE MET
• McGill recognizes and supports research that informs and advances solutions to sustainability challenges.
• McGill actively facilitates collaborative research in sustainability both within disciplines and across disciplinary boundaries.
• The social, economic and environmental impacts of all research activities undertaken by or on behalf of McGill are considered in advance and negative effects are minimized.
PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2014-‐2016
• Through a consultative process, develop a working definition of “sustainability research” and map the presence of such research at McGill (Action 1).
• Develop a networking platform to facilitate collaborative sustainability research (Action 2). • Develop and implement a Sustainable Labs program aiming to foster sustainability in labs (Action 3).
See the document “Priority Action Briefs 2014-‐2016” for more detail on these actions.
11 This vision is closely aligned with the vision advanced in McGill’s Strategic Research Plan 2013-‐2017 and ASAP 2012: Achieving Strategic Academic Priorities.
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EDUCATION
VISION FOR 202012
McGill is a truly student-‐centered institution and one in which the learning of faculty, staff, and community partners is also actively supported. We learn together and from each other, in and out of the classroom, to become engaged citizens. Where appropriate, concepts of and strategies for sustainability are integrated into our programming, pedagogy and assessment, equipping McGill’s students and staff with the skills, values, experiences, and perspectives to address the grand challenges of the 21st century.
WE WILL KNOW WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS WHEN THE FOLLOWING GOALS ARE MET
• McGill’s student experience cultivates citizenship and leadership both inside and outside the classroom.
• McGill’s academic, administrative and support staff are supported in their professional development and encouraged to be lifelong learners.
• McGill graduates have acquired skills that equip them to work across disciplinary, sectoral and cultural boundaries.
• McGill graduates have practiced translating classroom knowledge to complex real-‐world situations through an applied learning experience.
• McGill graduates understand what sustainability means, why it is important and how it relates to their fields of study.
PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2014-‐2016
• Identify and facilitate opportunities for applied student research that advances sustainability (Action 4). • Develop a program in which small groups of faculty members are identified each year as Faculty Fellows
in Sustainability (Action 5).
See the document “Priority Action Briefs 2014-‐2016” for more detail on these actions.
12 This vision is closely aligned with the vision advanced in ASAP 2012: Achieving Strategic Academic Priorities (2012). It is also congruent with reports of the McGill Inquiry Network and the mandate of the Undergraduate Learning Outcomes working group (2012-‐2014).
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CONNECTIVITY
VISION FOR 202013
The fabric of the McGill community is strong, and so are our ties with the interconnected communities into which we are woven, from local to global. All members of the McGill community feel welcome, valued, relevant and informed—recognizing themselves as integral participants in the campus community. McGill as a whole values its important role beyond the campus, and is connected with and responsive to Montreal, Quebec, Canada and the world. Strong relationships, accessible information and multidirectional listening and learning are the norm.
WE WILL KNOW WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS WHEN THE FOLLOWING GOALS ARE MET
• McGill supports the health and happiness of students, faculty and staff, and facilitates their integration into the McGill community.
• Community engagement—within and beyond McGill—is valued as a core element of the McGill student, staff and faculty experience.
• McGill sustains many strong, reciprocal relationships with partners in local, regional and global communities.
• Knowledge flows freely in all directions—within McGill, from McGill to the communities to which we belong and from those communities to McGill.
PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2014-‐2016
• Renovate underused indoor and outdoor spaces on campus to transform them into community gathering spaces (Action 6).
• Collaborate with the City of Montreal and other partners to redevelop McTavish Street into a pedestrian-‐friendly corridor that showcases best practices in sustainable urban planning and serves as a center of community activity (Action 7).
See the document “Priority Action Briefs 2014-‐2016” for more detail on these actions.
13 This vision is closely aligned with the recommendations of the Principal’s Task Force on Diversity, Excellence and Community Engagement (2011). It is also congruent with the Strategic Research Plan and ASAP (2012).
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OPERATIONS
VISION FOR 202014
Acknowledging the finite limits of the planet, we have re-‐oriented all activities carried out by or on behalf of McGill to minimize their impact and maximize their contribution to resilient, just and flourishing human and ecological systems. We recognize that this is a responsibility shared by all members of the McGill community—individuals, units, departments and organizations across McGill understand and embrace the role that they play. We consider all activities in light of their life cycle and in light of the question, “Is this really needed?” Operations at McGill are closely integrated with research and education as a mutually beneficial system that encourages adaptation and improvement.
WE WILL KNOW WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS WHEN THE FOLLOWING GOALS ARE MET
• Renewable energy sources supply the vast majority of McGill’s energy needs and McGill is progressively increasing the share of its energy coming from renewable sources while minimizing non-‐renewables.
• All products and services purchased by McGill are sustainably-‐sourced.
• Zero waste (energy, water, solid, air) is the target for all activities at McGill. This target is aggressively pursued and improvement is continuous.
• McGill’s natural and built environment supports resilient ecosystems, strong communities and individual well-‐being.
• McGill’s operations serve as a “living lab” that fosters learning for staff and students through close and mutually beneficial integration with education and research. Experimentation and adaptation are encouraged and lessons are shared within and beyond McGill.
PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2014-‐2016
• Adopt McGill green building standards that incorporate the LEED credit system and aim to achieve at least LEED Silver for all major construction and renovation projects (Action 8).
• Implement the Sustainable Procurement Strategic Action Plan (Action 9). • Conduct a campus waste assessment and develop a waste action plan (Action 10). • Develop an energy action plan (Action 11).
See the document “Priority Action Briefs 2014-‐2016” for more detail on these actions.
14 This vision is closely aligned with McGill’s Sustainability Policy (2010) and Physical Master Plan (2008).
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GOVERNANCE & ADMINISTRATION
VISION FOR 202015
All decisions at McGill are made and implemented with a sustainable future in mind. The way we function as an institution and a community matches the values we hold, and supports the commitment McGill has made to sustainability. This can be seen in our recruitment, evaluation, financial portfolio and resource allocation, as well as in our decision-‐making. Our institutional structures are flexible, adaptive, and inclusive, nurturing innovation, equity and the development of best practices in administration and governance.
WE WILL KNOW WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS WHEN THE FOLLOWING GOALS ARE MET
• McGill attracts, retains and supports students, faculty and staff who have diverse origins, ideas and experiences, and who embody a broad definition of excellence.
• McGill recognizes and rewards commitment to sustainability in its evaluation of the performance of faculty and staff.
• Participation, transparency and accessibility are valued as core components of decision-‐making at McGill.
• Sustainability is considered in decisions made at all levels at McGill.
• McGill’s financial portfolio is managed according to principles of sustainability (social, economic and environmental).
• McGill’s budgetary process and resource allocation demonstrate a commitment to sustainability as a core priority for McGill.
PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2014-‐2016
• Develop a framework for monitoring & reporting on sustainability performance across the five categories of Vision 2020 (Action 12).
• Convene a public consultation on the revision of the terms of reference of the Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (Action 13).
• Establish a Senior Advisory Council on Sustainability and name a Senior Advisor on Sustainability (Action 14).
See the document “Priority Action Briefs 2014-‐2016” for more detail on these actions.
15 This vision is closely aligned with the recommendations of the Principal’s Task Force on Diversity, Excellence and Community Engagement (2011) and with McGill’s Sustainability Policy (2010).
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MOVING FORWARD
From the start, the Vision 2020 process has promised to create a strategy that is both from and for the McGill
community. The broad engagement that led to the creation of this strategy ensures the from, but what about the for? How exactly does a community sustainability strategy take flight?
Countless other universities, municipalities and communities have created and implemented their own sustainability strategies, and we can learn from their collective experience. Five things stand out as important
elements of implementation: engaging partners, spearheading community-‐wide actions, having effective oversight, practicing good monitoring and reporting, and focusing on communications.16 Getting these elements in
place now will help us move forward in the coming years, and several of the actions speak directly to their establishment.
But at the end of the day, one of the most exciting things about the Strategy is thinking beyond it. Change is never a linear process, and some of the most transformative developments flow from a deceptively small tweak in the
right place at the right time. While this strategy will help put some components in place to institutionalize sustainability at McGill, it doesn’t capture everything.
Independent and grassroots actions, driven forward by students, staff, and faculty, are fundamental to the process of making the McGill community more sustainable. From individual actions and targeted projects to institution-‐
wide commitments, the Strategy will come to life at many scales and on many timelines. There are as many ways to participate in building a culture of sustainability as there are people at McGill, and we’ll learn and adapt
together as we go.
16 Clark, Amelia. 2012. Passing Go: Moving Beyond the Plan, Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Available: www.fcm.ca/gmf
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CONCLUSION
As the Sustainability Strategy goes to print, the two questions that continually informed the process of creating it –
“is this possible?” and “is this enough?” – continue to resonate. The scope of the change described in this
document is vast, but so is the scope of the imperative before us. The truth is that if we genuinely mean to create a clean, just, and hope-‐filled future, these changes are only the beginning.
The transformation described here will take time for McGill. Perhaps we will never get all the way there. Perhaps it
will not be enough. And yet, after nearly two years of community-‐wide conversation in the development of this
strategy, we are well positioned to give it our absolute best: the actions of the past have been honoured, the complexity of the present moment has been recognized, and a map for the coming years is now in place.
A map, however, does little good when tucked away in a pocket. Comparing it to the ever-‐shifting landscape and
making our way forward requires the active contribution of every member of the University. It demands an
unprecedented degree of experimentation, collaboration, hard work, and genuine courage. But for a richly diverse community whose raison d’être is both learning and engagement, such a challenge is in fact the finest call to
action. By navigating toward this vision and these goals here at McGill, we can contribute to a world in which people and the planet flourish for generations to come. It is possible, and we have begun.
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Website http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability
Final version- March, 2014
V I S I O N 2 0 2 0 :
A S US T A I N A B I L I TY S T R A T EG Y F O RMC GI L L U N I V ERS IT Y
PRIORITY ACTION BRIEFS 2014-2016
D13-61 Appendix B
Final version - March, 2014 1
Through a consultative process, develop a working definition of “sustainability research” and map the presence of
such research at McGill.
Research that explores or pursues a flourishing future for humans and ecosystems often focuses on relationships
among the three pillars of sustainability: environment, society, and economy. Yet while many researchers are
engaged in sustainability-related work at McGill, and while sustainability is one of the core commitments of
McGill’s Strategic Research Plan (2013), the University lacks a clear, agreed-upon definition of exactly what
sustainability research is and how it is carried out. Mobilizing the Research Advisory Council to develop an
academically rigorous definition of sustainable research is not only an important starting point for more connected
efforts here at McGill, but is also needed to keep pace with other universities. In addition, a definition will help
McGill to track sustainability research in the future.
A working group will be convened by the Research Advisory Council;
A review of peer universities’ definitions of sustainability research will be conducted;
A definition of sustainability research at McGill will be developed by the working group in consultation with the McGill research community, including centers, schools, and institutes;
The definition will be endorsed by the Research Advisory Council, chaired by the Vice-Principal Research and International Relations;
Sustainability will be included in academic tracking systems developed at McGill.
Office of the Vice-Principal Research and International Relations; Office of the Provost
Final version - March, 2014 2
Develop a networking platform to facilitate collaborative sustainability research.
The research needed to successfully tackle the complex sustainability challenges of the 21st
century is often multi-,
inter-, or trans-disciplinary. While there is a precedent for events that gather researchers at McGill, some of which
have been around sustainability, there is an opportunity to expand and develop a platform to facilitate
collaborative sustainability research in the coming years. A platform that allows researchers to cluster around
sustainability challenges or questions, and potentially apply for collaborative research grants, will advance one of
the core commitments of McGill’s Strategic Research Plan (2013) and align with best practices at peer
universities. Here at McGill this platform could include seminars, workshops, seed funding, applied student
research, events, and lectures.
A forum for exchange between sustainability researchers from different disciplines will be provided;
Opportunities will be explored to establish a seed fund for the development or piloting of joint
sustainability research grant applications;
Opportunities will be provided for applied student research projects or extra-curricular research projects
on sustainability;
Championship and support will be provided for student-led initiatives, such as the McGill Sustainability
Research Symposium;
A series of public lectures and policy panels featuring speakers from within and beyond McGill will be held.
McGill School of Environment; Marcel Desautels Institute for Integrated Management; Trottier Institute for
Sustainability in Engineering and Design; Office of the Vice-Principal Research and International Relations
Final version - March, 2014 3
Develop and implement a Sustainable Labs program aiming to foster sustainability in labs.
Sustainability in research includes not only what we research but how we research it. In order to fulfill directives of
McGill’s Sustainability Policy (2010) – including minimization of resource use, a lifecycle approach to activities, and
accessibility – this project will embed sustainability considerations into the already-existing network of groups
working to improve lab processes. This network includes the University Lab Safety Committee and its 40 reporting
departmental committees, a collaborative effort led by Environmental Health and Safety in partnership with a
number of committed professors and several administrative offices. Leveraging active student involvement
through the McGill Waste Project and the McGill Energy Project, as well as the work of pilot projects like Green
Biobanking, Mercury-Free Microscopy, and the Shut Your Sash fume hood efficiency initiative, the Sustainable Labs
program will expand and institutionalize best practices in the field. In the future, the scope will ideally expand from
wet labs to all labs.
Best practices research on sustainable labs programs will be completed;
Initial recommendations for the structure and content of a McGill Sustainable Labs program will be made;
A group of key stakeholders will meet regularly to develop the program;
The Sustainable Labs program will be implemented and integrated with McGill’s existing system for lab safety and monitoring.
Environmental Health & Safety; Office of the Vice-Principal Research and International Relations; University Lab
Safety Committee; Office for Students with Disabilities; McGill Office of Sustainability; McGill Energy Project;
McGill Waste Project
Final version - March, 2014 4
Identify and facilitate opportunities for applied student research that advances sustainability.
Applied student research (ASR) has played an important role in measurably improving McGill’s sustainability
performance in recent years while also providing real-world learning experiences to students. Student-led efforts
to coordinate ASR opportunities – including the McGill Food Systems Project, the McGill Energy Project, the McGill
Waste Project, and the McGill Spaces Project (the MXPs) - have demonstrated the win-win potential of this kind of
research. Scaling up and supporting sustainability-related ASR will build on recent efforts to catalogue and
publicize ASR opportunities through a Living Lab database of projects as well as a wiki-style website. This process
will also be supported by and in turn catalyze the ongoing work of the emerging multi-stakeholder network on
Community-Engaged and Experiential Learning & Research (CEELR Network), which has already investigated ASR
models at peer universities. The Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations will provide
guidance on McGill’s research expertise to the CEELR Network. Finally, this action will facilitate opportunities to
earn points toward the AASHE Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS).
The Living Lab database (of ASR project reports) and Living Lab wiki website (of potential ASR projects, faculty supervisors, and courses) will be populated and communicated;
Opportunities to increase the number of faculty and staff supervisors for ASR projects will be explored;
Training and communication support for sustainability ASR groups at McGill will be provided;
Networking events will be hosted to make ASR more visible and to connect efforts;
A common brand for ASR activities will be developed and used;
The establishment of a new course code – cross-listed in every faculty – will be explored, to make ASR opportunities more accessible.
Student Services; Teaching and Learning Services; Social Equity and Diversity Education Office; McGill Office of
Sustainability; Office of the Vice-Principal Research and International Relations; McGill Energy Project; McGill
Waste Project
Final version - March, 2014 5
Develop a program in which small groups of faculty members are identified each year as Faculty Fellows in
Sustainability.
Following the directive of McGill’s Sustainability Policy (2010) to “foster inquiry into sustainability through
teaching, research and the university experience” this action will serve as a voluntary means to support faculty
members who are interested in integrating sustainability into their courses. Through the establishment of a Faculty
Fellows in Sustainability program, this action will put in place structures to connect and support small groups of
faculty members from the same or related disciplines to work together as they explore how best to do so.
Recognizing that the McGill Office of Sustainability and Teaching & Learning Services have already researched
models at other universities to this end, the project will continue to take an inquiry-based approach and place a
focus on peer learning. As successive cohorts of Faculty Fellows in Sustainability complete their experience, the
network of faculty members with this expertise and perspective will strengthen and grow. This action will also help
McGill earn points toward the AASHE Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS).
Funding to support the development of the Faculty Fellows in Sustainability program will be sought through the Sustainability Projects Fund;
A working group co-chaired by Teaching & Learning Services and the McGill Office of Sustainability will develop a project plan that includes evaluation and communication strategies;
The working group will select two groups of faculty members with whom to work as the pilot cohort of the Faculty Fellows in Sustainability;
The initial cohort(s) will complete and evaluate their experiences as Faculty Fellows in Sustainability and provide recommendations for program development.
Teaching & Learning Services; McGill Office of Sustainability
Final version - March, 2014 6
Renovate underused indoor and outdoor spaces on campus to transform them into community gathering spaces.
A dynamic intellectual community, founded on interdisciplinary collaboration, is the first principle identified in
McGill’s Master Plan Principles Report (2008). A strong community fabric also plays an important role in supporting
a culture of sustainability. In discussing opportunities to foster a culture of sustainability at McGill, community
members repeatedly identified a desire for more informal places to relax, connect and explore ideas together. As a
response to this, this action aims to foster interaction, creativity, and connection through well-designed physical
spaces. Building on the success of projects such as the Edible Campus, which transformed the Burnside Terrace,
and the redevelopment of the square in front of the James Administration Building, this action will ensure that
landscape design plans are completed for the three main campus entrances (Milton Gates, Roddick Gates,
McTavish) as well as the Y-intersection. This action will also bring key stakeholders together around the common
goal of improving underutilized indoor and outdoor spaces at McGill. Inspired by “placemaking” trends in urban
planning and community revitalization - yet keeping in mind constraints of budget, physical infrastructure, and
climate – stakeholders will focus on creative modifications to physical spaces that can be accomplished with
modest investments of budget and time. Campus and Space Planning will play a key role in implementing this
action, as will the student-led McGill Spaces Project, Student Housing and Hospitality Services, and faculty partners
in the Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning.
Landscape design concept studies will be completed for the three main campus entrances (Milton, Roddick, McTavish) and associated campus roads, as well as the Y-intersection;
The McGill Spaces Project will include representation from a wide variety of key stakeholders, will meet regularly, and will coordinate opportunities for applied student research on topics related to the redesign of campus spaces;
A prioritized list of underused indoor and outdoor spaces will be developed;
Funding will be sought from a variety of sources for creative, small-scale, “placemaking” pilot projects based on the prioritized list.
Reviews of food service locations will be completed with the goal of improving the student experience in and around these locations.
Campus and Space Planning; Student Housing and Hospitality Services; McGill Spaces Project
Final version - March, 2014 7
Collaborate with the City of Montreal and other partners to redevelop McTavish Street into a pedestrian-friendly
corridor that showcases best practices in sustainable urban planning and serves as a center of community activity.
Guided by its Master Plan Principles Report (2008) and in partnership with the City of Montreal, McGill chose to
pedestrianize lower campus, including lower McTavish Street, in 2010. This was followed by attempts to create a
more welcoming and connecting environment by adding planters, benches, etc. Currently, the City of Montreal has
plans to change the water supply pipes on lower McTavish, and has also identified McTavish Street as one of
several promenades urbaines—pedestrian corridors to be rejuvenated in celebration of the 375th
anniversary of
Montreal. This work, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015, presents an exciting opportunity to undertake
a more ambitious and innovative redevelopment of this area of campus. By working closely with the City of
Montreal to ensure that the plan for McTavish Street incorporates McGill’s priorities, the University will ensure
that the corridor is welcoming to pedestrians, serves as a center for community activity, and incorporates best
practices in sustainable urban planning and design.
McGill representatives will participate in all City of Montreal working groups related to McTavish Street redevelopment;
McGill will work with the City of Montreal on its plan for the redevelopment of upper and lower McTavish Street, in an effort to ensure that McGill’s priorities and the campus context are reflected in the plan.
Facilities, Operations and Development; Campus and Space Planning; McGill Office of Sustainability
Final version - March, 2014 8
Adopt McGill green building standards that incorporate the LEED credit system and aim to achieve at least LEED
Silver for all major construction and renovation projects.
The built space of any campus can directly reflect a university’s approach to sustainability. In McGill’s Sustainability
Policy (2010), a commitment to “meet or exceed in our operations governmental standards of sustainability for
educational institutions and the norms of sustainability achieved by our comparator universities” is advanced.
Though McGill’s historic infrastructure poses challenges for sustainable design and building, one building (Life
Sciences Complex, 2012) has already achieved LEED Gold certification, and an informal goal of meeting LEED Silver
standards for renovation has been maintained. Recently, representatives from several units within University
Services have discussed the formalization of green building standards that will guide all of McGill’s future
renovation and construction projects. This action will see those standards finalized, adopted, and implemented.
Green building standards that incorporate the LEED credit system and aim to achieve at least LEED Silver for all major construction and renovation projects will be adopted by University Services;
These standards will be implemented to guide all renovation and construction projects undertaken at McGill and incorporated into contracts with those doing business with the University.
Office of the Associate Vice-Principal, University Services; Facilities, Operations and Development; McGill Office of
Sustainability
Final version - March, 2014 9
Implement the Sustainable Procurement Strategic Action Plan.
McGill recognizes that its demand for materials, goods, and services can generate social, economic and
environmental impacts, both locally and abroad. Sound purchasing decisions represent a crucial component of
McGill’s sustainability performance. To this end, the University’s Procurement Policy (2013) states that
Procurement Services are expected “[…] to promote and lead the way in establishing a culture of sustainable
procurement practices at McGill and in its wider community.” Building on this Policy, Procurement Services has
developed a five-year Strategic Action Plan which aims at raising awareness, supporting life-cycle thinking and the
consideration of triple bottom line principles throughout its purchasing activities. The implementation of this
Action Plan will support McGill’s transition towards improved resource management, as McGill’s 4-R hierarchy
(Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) will be applied to Procurement activities and decision-making.
Procurement Services Staff and buyers, as well as other administrative members of the University involved with purchasing activities, will be trained to incorporate life-cycle thinking and triple bottom line criteria (social, economic, environmental) into their day-to-day activities;
Sustainability criteria will be incorporated into calls for tenders;
A Supplier Code of Conduct will be adopted;
A regulation and accompanying procedures for managing McGill’s used and end of life (U/EoL) IT equipment will be adopted and rolled-out.
Procurement Services will engage McGill’s academic community in supporting sustainable procurement and provide students with the opportunity to conduct applied student research projects.
Procurement Services
Final version - March, 2014 10
Conduct a campus waste assessment and develop a waste action plan.
A university’s approach to waste management is a highly-visible indicator of its dedication to principles of
sustainability. While McGill has made some progress in the realm of waste reduction and management, progress
has been limited by a lack of baseline knowledge concerning waste production and management across the entire
waste system. To reach new milestones in waste reduction and earn points toward the AASHE Sustainability
Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS), Buildings and Grounds will seek resources to conduct a campus
waste assessment and to develop a waste action plan based on its findings in cooperation with the McGill
community. The student-led McGill Waste Project will also support the implementation of this action. To leverage
opportunities for waste reduction in the IT sector, Information Technology Services will also work to optimize the
use of printers and other imaging devices across campus.
Buildings and Grounds will seek resources to a) conduct a campus waste assessment and issue recommendations, and b) to develop a waste action plan, informed by community engagement.
The use of printing and imaging solutions will be optimized in order to improve energy consumption, efficiency, and reduce waste material.
Building and Grounds; Information Technology Services; McGill Waste Project
Final version - March, 2014 11
Develop an energy action plan.
Long-standing efforts to reduce the size of its energy footprint have earned McGill recognition for its commitment
to energy efficiency and emissions reduction. The development of a comprehensive Energy Action Plan, in
alignment with the McGill’s Environment Policy (2001) and Sustainability Policy (2010), will further establish the
University as a leader in campus sustainability, particularly in areas of energy and climate action. Building on work
led by the Utilities & Energy Management team in collaboration with institutional partners (such as Procurement
Services and the Trottier Institute for Sustainable Engineering and Design (TISED)), as well as applied student
research groups like the McGill Energy Project, University Services will systematically explore opportunities to
measure, communicate, and further reduce McGill’s absolute greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years.
Using the framework provided by McGill’s Five-Year Energy Management Plan, the energy use and natural resource consumption of the building portfolio will be monitored and managed toward continuous improvement;
McGill’s strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions will be quantitatively and qualitatively benchmarked against those of peer universities; lessons learned from this benchmarking will iteratively shape McGill’s climate action strategies;
McGill’s greenhouse gas emissions will be tracked and communicated;
The carbon footprint of university-related travel will be tracked and reported to the community;
University stakeholders will be engaged in consultation and collaboration towards the development of a comprehensive Energy Action Plan;
The Energy Action Plan will be communicated to the McGill community and the implementation of its recommendations will begin.
Utilities & Energy Management; Procurement Services; McGill Energy Project
Final version - March, 2014 12
Develop a framework for monitoring & reporting on sustainability performance across the five categories of Vision
2020.
Monitoring and reporting on sustainability is quickly becoming an international priority. Appropriately, McGill’s
Sustainability Policy (2010) outlines commitments to 1) prepare and regularly update a sustainability plan with
specific goals and objectives; and 2) to establish sustainability indicators to enable accountability, to communicate
specific goals, and to monitor and report on progress. Building on previous efforts to track progress toward
sustainability at McGill, this action will ensure the development of a framework for sustainability monitoring and
reporting that spans the five categories of Vision 2020. This framework, to be developed in consultation with key
stakeholders, will give substance to McGill’s existing Policy commitments and enable the University to better track
sustainability performance, share stories, and identify strategic steps forward. The development of the framework
will also help McGill to fill data gaps and subsequently report under the AASHE Sustainability Tracking, Assessment,
and Rating System (STARS).
Best practices on sustainability monitoring and reporting will be identified;
Initial recommendations for a framework for sustainability monitoring and reporting at McGill will be made;
A group of key stakeholders will validate a set of key performance indicators for sustainability and desirable reporting formats;
An initial Sustainability Report will be completed and presented to the McGill community.
McGill Office of Sustainability
Final version - March, 2014 13
Convene a public consultation on the revision of the terms of reference of the Committee to Advise on Matters of
Social Responsibility.
Over the past decade, interest in socially responsible investment (SRI) has grown by leaps and bounds. Investors
increasingly expect their social and environmental values to be reflected in investment decisions. Recognizing that
SRI can take many forms, it is important that McGill weigh alternative SRI options for the McGill context, especially
in light of recent discussions around fossil fuel divestment. In the short-term, there is an important opportunity for
public dialogue on responsible investment at McGill around the revision of the terms of reference of McGill’s
Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR). In the coming years, these steps could help pave
the way for the development of a responsible investment policy at McGill, which would earn points toward the
AASHE Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS).
Public consultations will be conducted to provide members of the McGill community with an opportunity to submit their perspective on the draft revision of the CAMSR Terms of Reference.
The members of CAMSR will be encouraged and supported to commission an independent review of best
practices in the field of socially responsible investment, in accordance with the expanded mandate
foreseen in the draft revision of the CAMSR Terms of Reference.
McGill’s Secretariat; McGill Office of Sustainability
Final version - March, 2014 14
Establish an Advisory Council on Sustainability and name a Senior Advisor on Sustainability.
In its Sustainability Policy (2010), McGill sets an ambitious sustainability agenda, aspiring to “achieve the highest
possible standards of sustainability” and “become an institutional model of sustainability for society”. Experience
at other universities, and more broadly in the field of community sustainability planning, indicates that strong
leadership will be required to achieve these goals. Successful implementation of sustainability strategies like
McGill’s must be led in a manner that works across boundaries between units and stakeholder groups, with the
aim of fostering collaboration, efficiency, and shared responsibility. Establishing a governance body such as an
Advisory Council on Sustainability is considered best practice in the field, and has been carried out at many of
McGill’s peer institutions. A strong asset in this context could be the Vision 2020 Steering Committee, which could
be transitioned into a permanent and formal Advisory Council. Establishing the Advisory Council would ensure that
sustainability efforts at McGill are integrated, accelerated, and communicated effectively in the coming years.
A Senior Advisor on Sustainability will be named;
In consultation with key stakeholders, the Senior Advisor will propose a draft mandate, membership and draft terms of reference for the Advisory Council, for approval by the Senior Administration;
The terms of reference for the Advisory Council will be formally approved;
The Advisory Council will meet periodically and report to the McGill community on progress toward sustainability at McGill.
To be confirmed
Note: To date no partners have confirmed for this action. The question of where the mandate for this action
resides has yet to be resolved. Dialogue is ongoing to determine a way forward amongst different options.
Website http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS TO THE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY (V2) CONTENTS
CHAPTER A. CONTACTS AND APPROVALS (FOR THE 14 PRIORITY ACTIONS) ............................................................ 1
CHAPTER B. VISION 2020 STEERING COMMITTEE ........................................................................................ 6
CHAPTER C. VISION2020 PROCESS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ..................................................................... 9
1
D13-61 Appendix C
CHAPTER A. CONTACTS AND APPROVALS (FOR THE 14 PRIORITY ACTIONS)
# Action title Primary Contacts Title Approval chain Funds
secured? Easy win
R E S E A R C H 1 Defining
Sustainability in Research
Bruce Lennox Chair, Department of Chemistry B. Lennox, in his capacity as a member of the Research Advisory Council (RAC), has agreed to lead a sub-committee of the RAC to complete this action. The RAC approved the formation of a sub-committee to complete this action on February 25th, 2014. S. Ghoshal agreed to join the RAC subcommittee. G. McClure agreed to join the RAC subcommittee and to explore possibilities for tracking sustainability research using UNIWEB and the annual decanal reporting process. K. Ohrvall has agreed to this action on behalf of the Vice-Principal Research and International Relations. R. Goldstein (Vice-Principal Research and International Relations) gave the final approval for the action.
N/A N Ghyslaine McClure
Associate Provost, Academic Staff and Priority Initiatives
Subhasis Ghoshal
Director, Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design (TISED)
Rose Goldstein
Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Kristina Ohrvall
Director, Research Planning and Special Project, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Anna Birnie-Lefcovitch
Project Officer, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
2 Collaborative Research
Sylvie de Blois
Interim Director, McGill School of Environment S. de Blois, S. Maguire, and S. Ghoshal have agreed to this action on behalf of the McGill School of Environment, the Marcel Desautels Institute for Integrated Management, and the Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design, respectively. K. Ohrvall agreed to this action on behalf of the Vice-Principal Research and International Relation. R. Goldstein (Vice-Principal Research and International Relations) gave the final approval for the action.
N N
Steve Maguire
Director, Marcel Desautels Institute for Integrated Management
Subhasis Ghoshal
Director, Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design (TISED)
Rose Goldstein
Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Kristina Orhvall
Director, Research Planning and Special Project, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Anna Birnie-Lefcovitch
Project Officer, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
3 Sustainable Labs Wayne Wood Associate Director, Environmental Health and Safety W. Wood has agreed to this action on behalf of Environmental Health and Safety and the University Lab Safety Committee. All other partners, including Environmental Health and Safety, have agreed to the third deliverable, which is to meet regularly to develop the Sustainable Labs program, once the review of best practices on sustainable labs is complete and
Yes (in-kind)
N Frederic Fovet
Director, Office for Students with Disabilities
Rose Goldstein
Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Kristina Orhvall
Director, Research Planning and Special Project, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and
1
# Action title Primary Contacts Title Approval chain Funds
secured? Easy win
International Relations recommendations have been issued. F. Fovet has agreed to the third deliverable on behalf of the Office for Students with Disabilities. K. Ohrvall agreed to the third deliverable on behalf of the Vice-Principal Research and International Relations. R. Goldstein (Vice-Principal Research and International Relations) gave the final approval for the action. Representatives from the student-led McGill Energy Project and McGill Waste Project have also agreed to this action.
Anna Birnie-Lefcovitch
Project Officer, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Lilith Wyatt Sustainability Officer, Office of Sustainability Marina Smailes
Student, McGill Energy Project representative
Patricia Tran Student, McGill Waste Project Representative
E D U C A T I O N 4 Applied Student
Research Darlene Hnatchuk
Director, Career Planning Services The Community-Engaged and Experiential Learning Research (CEELR) network – which includes representatives from Student Services, Teaching and Learning Services, the Social Equity and Diversity Education Office, the McGill Office of Sustainability, and the Office of the Vice-Principal Research and International Relations, as well as students, faculty, and community organizations – has already initiated work on this action. D. Hnatchuk and J. Luker have agreed to this action on behalf of Student Services, and have received support from O. Dyens (Deputy Provost Student Life and Learning). M. Slapcoff has agreed to this action, and received approval from L. Winer (Interim Director, Teaching and Learning Services). A. Dhir has agreed to this action, and received approval from V. Amberg (Manager, Social Equity and Diversity Education Office). K. Ohrvall agreed to this action, and received approval from R. Goldstein (Vice-Principal Research and International Relations). L. Wyatt and M. Krayer von Krauss (Director, Office of Sustainability) have agreed to this action. Representatives from the student-led McGill Food Systems, Energy, and Waste Projects have also agreed to this action. Funding has not yet been secured for this action, although a proposal for the Sustainability Projects Fund is being drafted.
N (in progress)
N
Jana Luker Executive Director, Student Services Marcy Slapcoff
Educational Development, Teaching and Learning Services
Anurag Dhir Community Engagement Office, Social Equity and Diversity Education Office
Rose Goldstein
Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Kristina Ohrvall
Director, Research Planning and Special Project, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Anna Birnie-Lefcovitch
Project Officer, Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations
Lilith Wyatt Sustainability Officer, Office of Sustainability Kendra Pomerantz
Student, McGill Food Systems Project representative
Marina Smailes
Student, McGill Energy Project representative
Patricia Tran Student, McGill Waste Project Representative
2
# Action title Primary Contacts Title Approval chain Funds
secured? Easy win
5 Faculty Fellows Marcy Slapcoff
Educational Development, Teaching and Learning Services
This action has already been initiated by a team from Teaching and Learning Services and the McGill Office of Sustainability. M. Slapcoff agreed to the action after receiving approval from L. Winer (Interim Director, Teaching and Learning Services). L. Wyatt agreed to this action after receiving approval from M. Krayer von Krauss (Director, Office of Sustainability). Funding for the action has already been obtained from the Sustainability Projects Fund.
Y Y
Lilith Wyatt Sustainability Officer, Office of Sustainability
C O N N E C T I V I T Y 6 Campus Hubs Chuck Adler Director, Campus Space and Planning C. Adler agreed to this action on behalf of Campus and
Space Planning after receiving approval from R. Couvrette (Associate Vice-Principal University Services). Funding has already been secured for the first deliverable. J. Méthot has agreed to this action on behalf of the student-led McGill Spaces Project. Funding has been secured for the McGill Spaces Project. M. Laperle agreed to the fifth deliverable pertaining to food service locations on behalf of Student Housing and Hospitality Services.
Y N Mathieu Laperle
Senior Director, Student Housing and Hospitality Services
Josée Méthot
McGill Spaces Project Representative
7 Sustainable McTavish
Robert Couvrette
Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) This action has already been initiated as a project under the auspices of University Services. R Couvrette (Associate Vice-Principal University Services) has approved the action on behalf of the University Services units involved.
Y Y
O P E R A T I O N S 8 Green Building Robert
Couvrette Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) This action has already been initiated under the auspices
of University Services. R. Couvrette approved the action on behalf of the University Services units involved following months of meetings within University Services to determine the appropriate scope for this action. s
Y Y
9 Procurement Kathy Zendehbad
Associate Director, Procurement Services This action has already been initiated under the auspices of Procurement Services. K. Zendehbad obtained approval for the action from F. Pouliot (Director of Procurement Services). Funding for this action has been
Y Y
3
# Action title Primary Contacts Title Approval chain Funds
secured? Easy win
obtained from the Sustainability Projects Fund.
10 Waste Marc Dozois Director, Buildings and Grounds M. Dozois has agreed to the first deliverable of this action on behalf of Buildings and Grounds, although funding has yet to be secured. R. Couvrette (Associate Vice Principal University Services) has approved the first deliverable on behalf of University Services. P. Tran has agreed to this deliverable on behalf of the student-led McGill Waste Project. H. Dominguez has agreed to the second deliverable on behalf of Network and Communications Services. Funding has already been secured for this deliverable.
N Y Hugo
Dominguez Director, IT Infrastructure, Network, and Communications Services
Patricia Tran McGill Waste Project Representative
11 Climate Denis Mondou
Director, Utilities and Energy Management D. Mondou agreed to this action on behalf of Utilities and Energy Management after receiving approval from R. Couvrette (Associate Vice-Principal University Services). The development of a climate action plan will occur in collaboration with the student-led McGill Energy Project. K. Zendehbad agreed to work on the deliverable pertaining to tracking the carbon footprint of university-related travel after receiving approval from F. Pouliot (Director of Procurement Services).
Y Y
Kathy Zendehbad
Associate Director, Procurement Services
Marina Smailes
McGill Energy Project Representative
G O V E R N A N C E A N D A D M I N I S T R A T I O N
12 Monitoring and Reporting
Martin Krayer von Krauss
Director, Office of Sustainability This action has already been initiated by McGill’s Office of Sustainability. M. Krayer von Krauss (Director, Office of Sustainability) has approved the action.
Y Y
13 Responsible Investment
Stephen Strople
Secretary General S. Strople (McGill’s Secretary General) has approved the first deliverable pertaining to the public consultation, as well as the overall contents of the action. Funding for the first deliverable has already been secured. M. Krayer von Krauss has approved the second deliverable pertaining to the independent review of best practices. Funding for the independent review has yet to be secured.
N N
Martin Krayer von Krauss
Director, Office of Sustainability
4
# Action title Primary Contacts Title Approval chain Funds
secured? Easy win
14 Advisory Council To be determined
M. Krayer von Krauss has prepared a proposal for this action. This proposal was submitted to the Office of the Principal by R. Couvrette (Associate Vice-Principal University Services), and B. Lennox, in his capacity as Chair of the Vision 2020 Steering Committee, through M. di Grappa, (Vice-Principal Administration and Finance). Approval of this action is pending.
N/A. N
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CHAPTER B. VISION 2020 STEERING COMMITTEE
The Vision 2020 Steering Committee is a multi-stakeholder committee composed of faculty, students, and administrative staff from McGill University. The committee’s membership has evolved slightly since initially forming in 2012, with some members new to key positions and other members leaving McGill University. The committee is stewarded by the Vision 2020 core project team. Membership (2013-2014)
Bruce Lennox, Chair, Department of Chemistry (Chair of committee) Chuck Adler, Director, Campus Space and Planning Veronica Amberg, Manager, Social Equity and Diversity Education Office Elena Bennett, Associate Professor, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Anna Birnie-Lefcovitch, Special Project Officer, Research and International Relations Robert Couvrette, Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) Ollivier Dyens, Deputy Provost, Student Life and Learning Lynne Gervais, Associate Vice-Principal, Human Resources Mariève Isabel, Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) delegate Jaaved Singh, Macdonald Campus Students’ Society (MCSS) President Mathieu Laperle, Senior Director, Student Housing & Hospitality Services
Katie Larson, Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Jana Luker, Executive Director, Student Services Steve Maguire, Associate Professor, Desautels Faculty of Management Ghyslaine McClure, Associate Provost, Academic Staff & Priority Initiatives Denis Mondou, Director, Utilities and Energy Management Marianna Newkirk, Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine Jim Nicell, Dean of Engineering Kristina Ohrvall, Director, Research Planning and Special Projects, Research and International Relations Nigel Roulet, Professor, Faculty of Science Joey Shea, Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) delegate Amanda Winegardner, Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) delegate Kathy Zendehbad, Associate Director, Procurement Services
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Membership (2012- 2013) Jim Nicell, Associate Vice-Principal, University Services (Chair of committee) Elena Bennett, Associate Professor, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Anna Birnie-Lefcovitch, Special Project Officer, Research and International Relations Carole Brabant, Assistant Vice-Principal, Strategic Planning and Research Development, Research and International Relations Andrea Clegg, Special Projects Administrator, Social Equity and Diversity Education Office Nathalie Cooke, Associate Provost, Academic Staff & Priority Initiatives Allison Cooper, Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) delegate Frederic Fovet, Director, Office for Students with Disabilities Mariève Isabel, Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) delegate
Susanna Klassen, Macdonald Campus Students’ Society (MCSS) delegate Mathieu Laperle, Director, Food and Dining Services Bruce Lennox, Chair, Department of Chemistry Jana Luker, Director, Student Services Steve Maguire, Associate Professor, Desautels Faculty of Management Morton Mendelson, Deputy Provost, Student Life and Learning Denis Mondou, Director, Utilities and Energy Management Marianna Newkirk, Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine Kelly Nugent, Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) delegate Josh Redel, Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) delegate Nigel Roulet, Professor, Faculty of Science Kathy Zendehbad, Associate Director, Procurement Services
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Vision 2020 Project Team (2013-2014)
Martin Krayer von Krauss, Office of Sustainability, Manager Jessica Marais, Office of Sustainability, Vision 2020 Coordinator Josée Méthot, Office of Sustainability, Vision 2020 Coordinator Kathleen Ng, Office of Sustainability, Senior Sustainability Officer Julia Solomon, Communications and External Relations, Senior Communications Specialist Lilith Wyatt, Office of Sustainability, Sustainability Officer Vision 2020 Project Team (2012-2013)
David Gray-Donald, Students’ Society of McGill University, Sustainability Coordinator Martin Krayer von Krauss, Office of Sustainability, Manager Josée Méthot, Office of Sustainability, Vision 2020 Data Strategist Amara Possian, Office of Sustainability, Vision 2020 Project Manager Julia Solomon, Communications and External Relations, Senior Communications Specialist Lilith Wyatt, Office of Sustainability, Sustainability Projects Fund Administrator
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CHAPTER C. VISION2020 PROCESS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Vision 2020 is about more than writing a Sustainability Strategy – it’s about connecting people and working together toward a vision for a more sustainable future.
Initiated as a project in late 2011, Vision 2020 first developed a Situational Analysis1 (2012) to document historic and current sustainability activities at McGill. After completing this important step, the Vision 2020 process shifted gears to engaging the community in identifying a vision, goals, and actions for a sustainable McGill. The vision, goals, and actions identified have been released in multiple draft forms throughout the process. See the end of this section for a complete list of the draft and complete reports released along the way.
Since kicking off the community engagement process in March 2012, Vision 2020 has held multiple events aimed at reaching a broad cross-section of the community. Over 1,000 people have participated in more than 30 events. This chapter summarizes the consultative process that justifies the Vision 2020 claim of being truly a sustainability vision “from and for the community”.
A multi-stakeholder Vision 2020 steering committee, including student, faculty, and administrative representatives, has helped steer this process. In addition to the events Vision 2020 has organized (described below), Vision 2020 representatives have also met with many groups including, but not limited to, the partners who have agreed to implement priority actions specified in the draft Sustainability Strategy.
STEP 1. ENGAGE THE BROAD COMMUNITY
Timeline: March – May 2012
The public launch of Vision 2020 was designed to get people thinking about a long-term sustainability vision and to identify areas needing change. Engagement involved large community conversations downtown and at Macdonald campus, presentations to campus groups, and many one-on-one conversations between members of the Vision 2020 project team and Vision 2020 steering committee members, campus sustainability champions, and decision-makers.
An enormous breadth of ideas for sustainability were generated. The Vision 2020 team then used content analysis to identify 12 themes stemming from the data collected.
1 Vision 2020: Creating a Sustainable McGill. A Situational Analysis (2012). Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/mcgill_situational_analysis.pdf
Key events: Community conversations Total participation: ~400 people
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STEP 2. DEEPEN CONVERSATION THROUGH WORKING GROUPS
Timeline: July 2012
Four working groups were convened to discuss areas important for sustainability at McGill: Research, Teaching, Operations, and Culture. The groups were asked to envision a sustainable McGill and propose goals to advance sustainability. A mix of administrative staff, students, and faculty were invited to each group, as Vision 2020 sought out experts and champions related to each area. Each group met once, although many participants have played ongoing and evolving roles in the Vision 2020 process.
The Vision 2020 team later used content analysis to explore the data generated through sticky note exercises. Altogether, 22 themes for sustainability were identified and subsequently grouped into 5 categories: Research, Teaching, Connectivity, Operations, and Governance & Administration.
STEP 3. RE-LAUNCH AND BROADEN ENGAGEMENT
Timeline: September – October 2012
Vision 2020 kicked off the fall semester with fun events during Orientation and a Sustainability Fair. The fair featured exhibits showcasing sustainability efforts at McGill. Participants were asked to contribute their strategic goals for sustainability at five facilitated table discussions on Research, Teaching, Connectivity, Operations, and Governance & Administration. Again, a mix of staff, students, and faculty attended. Vision 2020 also staged nine informal gatherings (called ‘Talking Tuesdays’) outside on sunny Tuesdays in late summer-early fall. Students, faculty, and administrative staff mingled outside, drank lemonade, and talked about advancing sustainability at McGill.
The data from these conversations, along with those from all previous rounds of engagement, fed into a draft Vision and Goals document. Goals were drafted by the Vision 2020 core team to coincide with the identified theme areas.
Key events: Four working groups on ‘Research’, ‘Teaching’, Operations, and ‘Culture’ Total participation: ~60 people
Key events: Talking Tuesdays (above) and the Sustainability Fair Total participation: ~500 people
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STEP 4. REVISE DRAFT THROUGH WORKING GROUPS
Timeline: October 2012
Five working groups on the categories of Research, Teaching, Connectivity, Operations, and Governance & Administration were convened to revise a preliminary draft of the Vision & Goals and to brainstorm potential opportunities to collaboratively reach these goals.
The draft was then revised based off of individual and group feedback about gut reactions, major critiques, favourites, and missing elements. Some goals were added, clarified, or made more consistent with the concept of “ambitious realism”.
STEP 5. COMMUNITY VALIDATION OF VISION AND GOALS
Timeline: November – December 2012
Multiple approaches were taken to validate the Vision & Goals across the McGill community. An online feedback tool was sent to community members via email to capture any major critiques, favourites, and missing elements. Large-scale copies of the Vision & Goals were placed in seven high-traffic hallways across the downtown and Macdonald campuses, with the goal of getting broad feedback and allowing community members to “track changes” to the document in a visible way. Finally, the draft Vision & Goals was brought forward to the senior administration team for feedback about the Vision & Goals (content) and Vision 2020’s next steps (process).
STEP 6. TRANSITION TO ACTION PLANNING
Timeline: December 2012 – March 2013
Having established a vision and goals for sustainability at McGill, the Vision 2020 process shifted gears and began to engage community members to develop a set of concrete actions to advance sustainability at McGill. To kick-start action planning, the Vision 2020 core team met with key partners to discuss how best to move forward with identifying and prioritizing actions across the full scope of sustainability, using an approach grounded in the best practices of peer universities. Key partners included those who have expertise (students, staff, or faculty) related to a given goal as well as partners within units having major responsibility for goal areas. These meetings resulted in a very draft set of action ideas for each of the five categories and helped build stronger relationships among key partners.
Key events: 5 working groups on Research, Teaching, Connectivity, Operations, and Administration & Governance. Total participation: ~80 people
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STEP 7. BRAINSTORM AND REFINE ACTION IDEAS
Timeline: March – April 2013
After spending several weeks brainstorming actions with various partners around McGill, it became clear that stakeholders needed to discuss these ideas collectively. Five “category jams” on Research, Education, Connectivity, Operations, and Governance & Administration were convened to bring a group of staff, faculty, and students together to discuss a shortlist of proposed action ideas for each category. At each three-hour facilitated session, participants first refined “transition statements” for the category. Transitions statements describe a current state for an important sustainability theme and then describe a desirable future state. Using transition statements as guideposts, we then asked groups to “fill the gap” between the current and future state by proposing five-year actions or by building off of a list of action ideas from prior phases of engagement.
We also held an event titled “Vision 2020: Making It Real!” that brought together over 80 students, staff, and faculty to discuss sustainability action ideas and build networks. The afternoon included 1-minute idea pitches from six pre-selected project representatives, fun and frantic idea workshopping activities with all participants, and final three-minute presentations by the idea representatives.
STEP 8. SEEKING COMMITMENT TO DRAFT ACTIONS
Timeline: June – September 2013
In June 2013, we released a first draft of a Sustainability Action Plan that included a set of 51 five-year actions for sustainability across the five categories. The shortlisted actions were those that, in the judgment of the Vision 2020 team and key partners from the McGill community, would enable real progress toward the vision and goals for a category and toward the broad scope of sustainability embodied by Vision 2020. Feedback from the category jams and partner meetings informed this selection process.
Once the draft was released, we spent several months meeting with key partners in order to secure their commitment to driving forward specific actions over five years. “Commitment” at this stage in the process was interpreted as an expression of goodwill - of the willingness to pursue an action over the next 5 years, either by using existing resources or by exploring options to obtain additional resources.
Key events: 5 category jams on Research, Teaching, Connectivity, Operations, and Administration & Governance, and the Making It Real! Event. Total participation: ~180 people
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STEP 9. COMPILING THE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY (FIRST DRAFT)
Timeline: October - November 2013
In October 2013, we held a series of five “hub meetings” in order to bring together some of key partners in each category and to discuss actions, commitments, and next steps. Some actions were edited based on feedback from the groups.
We then consolidated the vision, goals, and actions from previous reports into a first draft of the Sustainability Strategy. The first draft of the Sustainability Strategy included one vision, 23 goals, and 51 actions to be worked on
over five years.
To celebrate progress made toward the Sustainability Strategy and the growing community of sustainability champions at McGill, we held an evening event called “Lift-Off: The Sustainability Soirée” on November 14, 2013. This event was the first launch of the new Sustainability at McGill branding, which includes a logo representing the five categories of sustainability derived from the Vision 2020 consultation process (Research, Education, Connectivity, Operations, Administration & Governance).
STEP 10. REVISING THE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
Timeline: November 2013 – February 2014
In November 2013, the first draft of the Sustainability Strategy was taken to McGill’s senior administration for feedback. The senior administration recommended that the Sustainability Strategy be revised to include fewer actions and additional detail vis-à-vis the implementation of each action. With this feedback in hand, the Vision 2020 core team consulted with the Vision 2020 Steering Committee and key partners to determine a shortlist of actions over a period of three months. Through consultation, the original 51 actions (for the period 2014-2019) were pared down to 14 priority actions for the period 2014-2016. Actions were selected on the basis of criteria including:
1. Their clear linkage with sustainability and/or their provision of an entry point to further the understanding of sustainability at McGill; 2. Their ability to fill an identified gap in sustainability at McGill; 3. The commitment and approval of key implementing partners; 4. The feasibility of deliverables being accomplished in 2014-2016.
In February 2014, a second draft of the Sustainability Strategy – which currently includes one vision, 23 goals, and 14 actions, was completed. A document titled Priority Action Briefs 2014-2016 was also developed to accompany the Sustainability Strategy. The action briefs clarify the context for each of the 14 actions, identify the relevant partners, and establish a set of deliverables for the period 2014-2016. The partners implicated in the implementation of specific actions were involved in formulating and approving each action brief.
New branding for sustainability at McGill Launched November 2013
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STEP 11: FINALIZING THE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
In March 2014, the second draft of the Sustainability Strategy will be brought to the senior administration for additional feedback and revised where appropriate. Once finalized and approved, the Sustainability Strategy will, hopefully, be brought to McGill’s Senate and Board of Governors in the Winter 2014 semester for information.
STEP 12. TURNING THE PAGE FROM PLANNING TO ACTION
The vision, goals, and actions for sustainability identified through Vision 2020 provide a clear platform for advancing sustainability at McGill. Using this platform as a springboard, we are now working to catalyze and kick-start sustainability actions across McGill. In the coming months, we will be developing resources that clearly describe ways to get involved and become more sustainable at McGill, whether as a student, faculty, or staff member. We will also be working directly with different groups at McGill to advance the 14 priority actions and to help individuals and groups take steps towards sustainability at different levels.
LIST OF REPORTS
• Vision 2020: A Situational Analysis. 2012. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/mcgill_situational_analysis.pdf
• Vision 2020: Vision & Goals (draft). March 2013. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/2013-03-01_draft_sustainability_vision__goals_rev.pdf
• Sustainability Action Plan (draft). June 2013. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/action_plan_first_draft_2013-06-18.pdf
• Impact Report. 2013. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/impact_report_final.pdf
• Failure Report. 2013. Available: http://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sites/mcgill.ca.sustainability/files/failure_report_final.pdf
• Sustainability Strategy (version 1, draft). November 2013. Not currently available online. • Sustainability Strategy (version 2, draft). February 2014. Not currently available online. • Priority Action Briefs 2014-2016 (draft). February 2014. Not currently available online.
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