UNSW publishes online sustainability report

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) has become the first university in the Group of Eight - a coalition of leading Australian tertiary institutions - to publish a stand-alone, publicly available sustainability report. The publication documents the sustainability performance of UNSW to date, with a focus on the 2013 reporting period (1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013).

The report:

• identifies the sustainability issues that impact on the environment and society as a result of UNSW business activities;
• describes UNSW’s journey towards sustainability, including past achievements, current initiatives and future aspirations;
• provides a 2013 sustainability snapshot so future improvements can be easily identified.

The report is based on the Global Reporting Initiative - one of the most widely used international frameworks for sustainability reporting - and acknowledges that ‘sustainability’ encompasses not just environmental, but social, cultural and economic dimensions. Not only does it document UNSW’s performance, but it also includes an overview of how the university is tracking in sustainability research and education.

“The sustainability challenges we face on a national and global scale are considerable, but as an education and research institution, UNSW has a unique and positive role to play in pioneering sustainability adaptation,” said Aaron Magner, director of UNSW Safety and Sustainability. “We are equipping this country’s future environmental, business and social leaders with the knowledge and skills required to address sustainability issues at their core.”

Published as a website, in order to reduce printing and waste, the report is available at http://sustainabilityreport.unsw.edu.au/.