• Charles Sturt releases 14^th Sustainability Scorecard report
• Scorecard details the University’s environmental impact and sustainability achievements, standards and commitments for 2019
• Key achievements include industry sustainability awards and accolades, integrating sustainable practice into all undergraduate degrees, and installing 1,732 solar panels

Ahead of the United Nations' World Environment Day on Friday 5 June, Charles Sturt University has released the results of its latest Sustainability Scorecard.

The Scorecard, which is now in its 14 ^th year, is an annual report on Charles Sturt’s resource use, emissions, and sustainability initiatives, achievements, standards (Learning in Future Environments (LiFE) Index, United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals), and practices to maintain its carbon neutral status.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann said staff and students across the entire University should again be proud of the contribution they have made towards the University’s commitment to sustainability and the excellent results in its 2019 report.

“The results of this year’s Sustainability Scorecard confirm Charles Sturt University’s commitment to maintaining a leadership position in sustainability practices in the higher education sector,” Professor Vann said.

“We know universities have a crucial role to play in both minimising their own environmental footprint and in leading our nation’s minds through research, education and our own practices, to develop solutions for a planet that is warming up.

“For this reason, I am delighted that once again there are many achievements in this year’s report that our University can be proud of, including winning the ‘Continuous Improvement: Institutional Change’ award at last year’s Australasian Green Gown Awards.”

Professor Vann said he also wanted to acknowledge the projects and initiatives, both large and small, Charles Sturt’s staff and students take part in which contribute towards the institution’s commitment to sustainability.

“I would like to thank our staff and students who play an important role in our university-wide sustainability efforts,” Professor Vann said.

“From conducting sustainability-related research projects, to participating in University events, such as our tree planting days and our student Energy Challenge, and helping the University reduce waste by following our recycling systems.

“All of these activities are important to our ethos, the Wiradjuri phrase ‘Yindyamarra Winhanganha’, which is included in our Sustainability Statement and means the wisdom of respectfully knowing how to live well in a world worth living in.”

Key highlights in the Charles Sturt 2019 Sustainability Scorecard include:

• Winner of the ‘Continuous Improvement: Institutional Change’ award at the Australasian Green Gown Awards for demonstrating a sustained and successful commitment to improving sustainability across the entire institution. This award automatically qualifies Charles Sturt for the ‘Institution of the Year’ in the 2020 International Green Gown Awards expected to be held online in July 2020.
• Ranked within the top 70 universities in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ratings, which assess more than 600 universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and ranks them in 17 categories. Charles Sturt has ranked 61^st overall and scored fourth in reduced inequalities, sixth in gender equality, 13^th in clean water and sanitation, 22^nd in life on the land, and including 36^th in quality education.
• Updating the University’s Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) to include sustainable practice. The University’s GLOs outline the standards all undergraduate students must meet. This change aims to ensure that by 2024, all undergraduate students will be able to demonstrate sustainable practice applicable to their course and career.
• Awarding $67,162 worth of sustainability grants, planting 2,807 trees, and installing 1,732 solar panels in 2019.
• Outstanding results for sustainability in the 2019 Your Voice staff survey (conducted every two years). Results showed 88 per cent of respondents consider Charles Sturt to be environmentally responsible – a figure that is 15 per cent above the sector average. Results also revealed Charles Sturt saw increases in all areas of sustainability activity in 2019 compared to 2017, with active participation increased by 12 per cent.
• Exceeding the target of a five per cent annual improvement in each of the University’s four priority areas (leadership and governance, facilities and operations, learning, teaching and research, and partnership and engagement) measured by the LiFE Sustainability Index. This index helps the University to evaluate if the current practices support or impede effective sustainability approaches.

The full Sustainability Scorecard report can be accessed via the Charles Sturt website.

CSU Green is Charles Sturt’s program and business area dedicated to driving forward the University’s commitment to creating a sustainable future for all.

Charles Sturt’s Sustainability Statement, which was launched by Professor Vann in April 2019 to publicly declare the University’s commitment to best-practice sustainability, is also available on the Charles Sturt website.