Action Plan Categories

Laurier promotes strategic objectives that foster a sustainably-minded campus community. Our Sustainability Action Plan is driven by four overarching categories. Within each category are several goals towards a sustainable Laurier and our plans on how we can achieve these goals.

Operations

Develop and support policies and practices that contribute to sustainable operations and resource utilization at Laurier.

Academics and Research

Support the development of academic programs and research at Laurier that give attention to proactive sustainability.

Engagement

Create and advance partnerships in the university and the greater community to share, cultivate, and form sustainable programs.

Investment

Consider the pillars of sustainability – economic, social, cultural, and environmental – in all decision-making processes.

Our Progress

• 2024: One of Canada's Greenest Employers for sixth straight year.
• 2023: Upgrades to campus infrastructure including two heat pump systems, a boiler system replacement, implementation of demand control ventilation and upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems upgrades.
• 2023: Honoured for sustainability and EDI efforts at global Triple E Awards.
• 2022: Completion of the $48 million Laurier Energy Efficiency Project (LEEP), including upgrades of 25,000 LED lights, 550 kW of solar panels, two solar walls, 1,300 low flow fixtures, a microgrid and 6 MW battery storage.
• 2021: Commitment to decarbonizing by signing the Investing to Address Climate Change: A Charter for Canadian Universities, resulting in a 40% greenhouse gas endowment reduction by 2030.
• 2021: Clean50 Award from the Delta Management Group and the Canada’s Clean50 recognizing the Sustainable Hawk Fund.
• 2020: Carbon Reduction Roadmap developed for Laurier to achieve low carbon campus or carbon neutrality by 2050.
• 2019: Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) Gold rating achievement.

Annual Reports

The Annual Sustainability Reports illustrate how Laurier's operations and initiatives help achieve short, medium and long-term goals as outlined in the Sustainability Action Plan.

By evaluating progress across the university each year, it enables the Sustainability Office and our partners to prioritize certain programs and projects, while gauging the overall success of the sustainability goals that the university is pursuing in this ambitious Action Plan.

The scope of this report includes all campus activities during a given academic year.

• Annual Sustainability Report 2023/24 (PDF)
• Annual Sustainability Report 2022/23 (PDF)
• Annual Sustainability Report 2021/22 (PDF)
• Annual Sustainability Report 2020/21 (PDF)
• Annual Sustainability Report 2019/20

Sustainable Campus Committee

The Sustainable Campus Committee (SCC) supports initiatives that address the unique sustainability challenges and opportunities that permeate the university community.

The primary focus of the SCC is the oversight of the Sustainable Hawk Fund program, ensuring new ideas align with Laurier’s sustainability goals. The projects and initiatives selected by the SCC contribute to creating an innovative, inclusive, and sustainable institution driven by community action.

Fair Trade Campus Committee

The Fair Trade Campus Committee (FTCC) spearheads the efforts across Laurier’s campuses to advocate for fair trade best practices to be included in procurement policies, increasing Fairtrade product availability on campus, and create awareness campaigns on the importance of supporting ethical purchasing and fair wages.

The responsibilities of the FTCC also include monitoring compliance with the Fairtrade Campus requirements set by the Canadian Fair Trade Network. This entails creating impactful events and communications to support conscious consumption on campus, raising brand awareness to help identify which products meet Fair Trade requirements, and assessing feasibility of how Fair Trade can be incorporated into university processes such as planning events.

Menstrual Equity Committee

The Menstrual Equity Committee include dedicated individuals who advocate, raise awareness, and implement initiatives that promote menstrual equity on campus.

This multicampus committee works towards ensuring all members of the Laurier community with capacity for menstruation have access to menstrual products while on campus.

The committee is also tasked with eliminating stigma surrounding menstruation, fostering a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for users of the program, and providing adequate education on menstrual equity available to the entire campus community.

Sustainable Development Goals

Our goals also correspond with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.

See how Laurier is working towards completing the SDG goals.

Sustainability Policy

The 4.13 Sustainability Policy is a university-level operational policy approved by the Board of Governors that establishes Laurier’s commitment to enhance ecological, economic, and social sustainability across the campuses.

The policy communicates the goals and objectives of the institution for conserving resources, reducing environmental impact and supporting social equity. The policy also outlines the strategy for integrating sustainable practices into campus operations and decision-making processes, ensuring accountability and transparency.