Office of Sustainability: Changemaking across campus and beyond

The Office of Sustainability at UFV aims to “[drive] meaningful partnerships that support a sustainable transformation towards the well-being of our communities and ecosystem.” Their team includes part-time and full-time staff, students, and interns that are dedicated to helping ensure actionable commitments to sustainability are happening on campus, as well as to be a resource for those who are ready to grow and create sustainable change.

A holistic lens requires recognizing and understanding environmental, social, and economic sustainability as parts of the same systems rather than separate components. In March 2023 the university signed the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Accord, showing a commitment to addressing these global sustainability issues in operations, decision-making, and education. Visit the Office of Sustainability’s website to see the full list of campus initiatives that engage with the 17 SDGs.

Since launching the Sustainable Event Certification program, the Office of Sustainability has certified more than 40 events that committed to improving their environmental and social sustainability impact. Their event checklist is divided into categories that cover pre-event planning and preparation, day-of and post-event actions. Events are evaluated by relevant categories, and awarded either bronze, silver, or gold rankings.

In August 2023, the office launched the Sustainable Office Certification program to educate staff on sustainability practices, provide resources for ways to implement these changes, and to foster a community of like-minded employees for ongoing check-ins and training opportunities. Connect with the office to learn more about how to become a Sustainability Champion for your department.

The Office of Sustainability has numerous campus-wide sustainability campaigns, including the Ecochallenge, which focuses on creating sustainable daily habits, and sharing tips to reduce plastic waste during plastic-free July. Stay tuned for next year’s March for Sustainability, a month-long initiative that unites the university in its pursuit of addressing local and global sustainability issues. 2024’s events included various presentations and discussions, movie screenings, and workshops.

UFV is committed to embracing innovative sustainable changes around campus. Since 2020, there have been three substantial and innovative renovation projects, various solar upgrades were installed on buildings around the Abbotsford campus, and energy efficient heat pumps were installed in buildings on both the Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses. To see more initiatives around the Abbotsford campus, go on a self-guided campus sustainability tour.

Whether you are a student interested in taking a sustainability-focused course, UFV staff interested in becoming a Sustainability Champion for your department, or just looking for sustainability tips to help make change in your own life, the Office of Sustainability is ready to help you plant the seed.