Sustainability Steering Committee

Mission Statement:

McMaster University will apply its immense potential and use its creative and innovative campus community to advance sustainable operations and growth. McMaster is helping to shape the minds and values of a new generation of leaders and decision makers by integrating an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable consciousness into all aspects of the university lifecycle through innovation, communication, community engagement and implementation.

Guiding Principles:

  • Identify and establish sustainable objectives and goals
  • Provide a framework for developing sustainable procedures and initiatives
  • Communicate awareness to all stakeholders
  • Involve, engage and collaborate with all stakeholders
  • Develop a university-wide culture of sustainability
  • Educate for sustainable community participation
  • Respond to concerns as raised by stakeholders
  • Conduct all initiatives in a transparent and sustainable manner
  • Measure and report annually on indicators to track progress toward improved sustainability

 

Areas of Focus:

The issues to be studied include, but are not limited, to:

  • Education
  • Energy
  • Green Space
  • Health & Wellbeing
  • Transportation
  • Waste
  • Water

 

Authority:

The committee’s authority comes from the Board of Governors through the Office of the Vice-President (Administration) in accordance with relevant legal and moral obligations. Those matters outside its jurisdiction will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Desired Outcomes:

  • Enhance the social health and wellbeing of the McMaster community as well as those external communities at the local and global level
  • Improve the quality of the natural environment on campus and decrease our environmental footprint at the local and global level
  • Harvest the economic benefit resulting from our improved efficiency and responsibility

 

Membership:

Chairmanship:

  • Senior Manager, University Sustainability (Co-Chair)
  • Professor and Chair in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, and Acting Chair in the Department of Biology (Co-Chair)

Standing Members:

  • Vice-President (Administration)
  • Assistant Vice-President, Facility Services
  • Alumni Association representative
  • Graduate Students Association representative
  • Purchasing Officer
  • Director, MACgreen
  • Faculty/Research Representative
  • Faculty of Health Sciences Representative
  • Inter-Residence Council Representative
  • Environmental and Occupational Health Support Services Representative
  • Hospitality Services Representative
  • Housing and Conference Services, Residence Life Representative
  • Off-Campus Resource Centre Representative
  • Chief Risk Officer
  • Associate Director, Public Relations
  • President, McMaster Student’s Union
  • Director, Security & Parking
  • University Technology Services Representative
Ad Hoc:
  • Other pan-University/community members (open)

Membership Term:

Two or three years (flexible).

Meetings:

  • Frequency: bimonthly.
  • Meetings are open.

 

Minutes:

 

Next Meeting Dates:

  • Tuesday, January 29, 2013     
    1:30 - 2:30 pm. Mills L-304
  • Tuesday, March 26, 2013
    1:30 - 2:30 pm. Mills L-304

 

Archived Document

 

McMaster Environmental Report Card

The McMaster Environmental Report Card is both a summary of past achievements and a statement of actions concerning McMaster's impact on the environment.

ERC

 

Sustainability Steering Committee

Minutes

2011:
November 29, 2011
September 27, 2011
July 19, 2011
May 17, 2011
March 22, 2011
February 22, 2011

2010:
November 16, 2010
September 21, 2010
July 6, 2010
March 2, 2010

Sustainability Promotion & Advisory Committee

Sustainability Promotion/Communication Advisory Committee

Environmental Steering Committee

Minutes:

2009:
December 8, 2009
September 15, 2009
May 12, 2009
March 3, 2009

2008:
April 3, 2008
October 2, 2008
December 16, 2008

2007:
March 5, 2007
June 4, 2007
September 17, 2007
December 10, 2007

2006:
March 6, 2006
June 5, 2006
September 25, 2006
December 5, 2006

2005:
January 17, 2005
April 11, 2005
May 30, 2005
September 26, 2005

2004:
February 23, 2004
March 8, 2004
March 29, 2004
April 12, 2004
April 26, 2004
October 28, 2004

2003:
April 3, 2003
May 21, 2003
July 3, 2003
September 15, 2003
November 20, 2003

 

Please note that in 2009 the Environmental Steering Committee has transformed into the Sustainability Steering Committee. This Committee has included some new members and some additional areas of focus. The Steering Committee meets bimonthly and meetings are open to all members of the Campus Community.

The Sustainability Promotion/Communication Advisory Committee has recently merged with the Sustainability Steering Committee as of January 2010. The members of each committee will be represented on the Sustainability Steering Committee and the meeting frequency has increased from quarterly to bimonthly. These meetings remain open and campus stakeholders are encouraged to attend.

 

April 9, 2012