Aligning Campus Strategy with the SDGs …
19
organised sustainable literacy training for staff in the Media and Communication
Faculty. Another academic from the same Faculty had incorporated the SDGs into
the assessment of a BA Film Language unit where students were required to produce a three minute film and consider the environmental sub-plot. A third academic
from the Law Department, illustrated how ‘Advanced Criminal Law’ was concerned
with the United Nation’s Goal Peace, Justice and Institutions (SDG 16). Further, in
discussing types of gross human rights violations, the Goals regarding Inequalities
(SDG 10) and Gender violence (SDG 5) were covered.
In parallel to the competition, it was decided to pursue a more strategic approach.
This took three forms:
• Using EcoCampus and the new ISO14001:2015 standard to provide the framework
for ESD
• Further and closer collaboration with the CEL Director to ensure ESD was promoted through central communication channels and became an agenda led by
CEL
• Using the opportunity of institutional strategy development to embed the SDGs
and ensure that they featured during strategy development processes.
As stated above, BU achieved certification to EcoCampus and ISO14001:2004 in
2016, following an external audit. The new version of ISO14001:2015 was launched
in September 2015 (International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 2015) with
organisations having three years to transition to the new standard. BU achieved the
transition at the end of 2017. One of the key changes to the standard, the need to gain
greater commitment and leadership from senior management to the EMS, has been of
critical importance. This afforded an opportunity to encourage further engagement
with senior management. The importance of this clause, which is now a central
component of ISO14001:2015, was discussed by the University’s Leadership Team
as part of implementing the new standard. It served to influence strategic discussion
at an opportune moment—the University’s “BU 2018” strategy was coming to a
close and the new strategy “BU2025” was in development. The perfect opportunity
was provided to renew with leaders discussions around commitment to sustainable
development but also to introduce the potential of the SDGs.
As a consequence, the new strategy “BU2025” incorporated into an early draft
the following statements (Bournemouth University 2018):
(i) Leadership and impact: Enhance our position as a sustainable organisation and
manage the environmental impact of our actions.
(ii) Support our staff from all parts of BU and students to take a responsible approach
to the environment and sustainable development by:
• including sustainable development in our programmes and support our staff
and students to make responsible choices about their environmental impact
• bringing together our academic work on environmental sustainability with
our approach to the physical environment at BU
• driving significant worldwide impact on sustainability and the environment
through our strategic investment areas.
19
organised sustainable literacy training for staff in the Media and Communication
Faculty. Another academic from the same Faculty had incorporated the SDGs into
the assessment of a BA Film Language unit where students were required to produce a three minute film and consider the environmental sub-plot. A third academic
from the Law Department, illustrated how ‘Advanced Criminal Law’ was concerned
with the United Nation’s Goal Peace, Justice and Institutions (SDG 16). Further, in
discussing types of gross human rights violations, the Goals regarding Inequalities
(SDG 10) and Gender violence (SDG 5) were covered.
In parallel to the competition, it was decided to pursue a more strategic approach.
This took three forms:
• Using EcoCampus and the new ISO14001:2015 standard to provide the framework
for ESD
• Further and closer collaboration with the CEL Director to ensure ESD was promoted through central communication channels and became an agenda led by
CEL
• Using the opportunity of institutional strategy development to embed the SDGs
and ensure that they featured during strategy development processes.
As stated above, BU achieved certification to EcoCampus and ISO14001:2004 in
2016, following an external audit. The new version of ISO14001:2015 was launched
in September 2015 (International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 2015) with
organisations having three years to transition to the new standard. BU achieved the
transition at the end of 2017. One of the key changes to the standard, the need to gain
greater commitment and leadership from senior management to the EMS, has been of
critical importance. This afforded an opportunity to encourage further engagement
with senior management. The importance of this clause, which is now a central
component of ISO14001:2015, was discussed by the University’s Leadership Team
as part of implementing the new standard. It served to influence strategic discussion
at an opportune moment—the University’s “BU 2018” strategy was coming to a
close and the new strategy “BU2025” was in development. The perfect opportunity
was provided to renew with leaders discussions around commitment to sustainable
development but also to introduce the potential of the SDGs.
As a consequence, the new strategy “BU2025” incorporated into an early draft
the following statements (Bournemouth University 2018):
(i) Leadership and impact: Enhance our position as a sustainable organisation and
manage the environmental impact of our actions.
(ii) Support our staff from all parts of BU and students to take a responsible approach
to the environment and sustainable development by:
• including sustainable development in our programmes and support our staff
and students to make responsible choices about their environmental impact
• bringing together our academic work on environmental sustainability with
our approach to the physical environment at BU
• driving significant worldwide impact on sustainability and the environment
through our strategic investment areas.