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SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN

Our Sustainability Action Plan

As a next-gen university, Concordia is taking a leadership role in meaningful sustainability action during this pivotal time. Since the adoption of Concordia’s Sustainability Policy, the university has been collaborating with its community in order to develop this Sustainability Action Plan that addresses the university’s unique strengths and challenges.   

 

Our Sustainability Action Plan includes a long-term vision as well as five-year plans around our five stream topics: Food, Waste, Climate, Research, and Curriculum.

Our vision for 2040

We have developed a multifaceted vision for a sustainable future around our five stream topics. By 2040, we aspire to achieve this vision as a community.

a man and a woman stand at a table sorting small objects against an industrial backdrop


Waste

  • Divert 90 per cent of material waste from landfill through compost, recycling and material reuse
  • Reduce our total material waste by 50 per cent (per full-time equivalent) through programs that encourage low-waste purchasing and material reuse
Read the waste stream plan
a sculpture along a path between buildings at the Applied Science Hub on Concordia University's Loyola Campus



Research

  • Foster an institutional culture that will position Concordia as a world leader in sustainability research with meaningful effects on society, and in sustainable research practices
Read the research stream plan
a woman and man writing on paper taped to the wall in a group setting


Curriculum

  • Work with faculty members to foster an understanding and practice of sustainability across the curriculum.
  • Immerse students in interdisciplinary settings.
  • Equip graduates to link their disciplinary training to broader social, environmental and economic issues, and be ready to enact change in their respective fields.
Read the curriculum stream plan

The Sustainability Action Plan is an ambitious, living document. I believe our community’s commitment to its goals will allow Concordia to contribute in a dynamic and purposeful way to achieving a brighter future for all.

 

– Graham Carr, Concordia President and Vice-Chancellor

aerial view of pathways and green space on Concordia's Loyola campus


Our definition of sustainability

At Concordia, we define sustainability as a mindset and a process that leads to reducing our ecological footprint and enhancing social well-being while maintaining economic viability both on and off campus. This process has been developed through a governance system based on shared vision and responsibility that fulfills Concordia’s current needs without compromising the needs of future generations. To be sustainable in our decisions and activities is to take a long-range perspective, recognize resource capacities and balance the interconnected nature of our environment, society and economy.


Contact


For questions about the Sustainability Action Plan, contact Cassandra Lamontagne:
cassandra.lamontagne@concordia.ca

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