Leadership, Staff & Governance

Long-term institutional success begins with sustainability

As the business sector has shown, sustainability provides exciting opportunities for value creation, innovation and risk mitigation. These are becoming increasingly apparent to the higher and further education sector, as institutions look to increase financial resilience in a changing global market and policy landscape. 
 
Now, more than ever, with the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, institutions that embrace sustainability can benefit from balancing their financial health with wider social and environmental interests. Students, staff and local communities look to universities and colleges to learn socially responsible and sustainable actions that everyone can take. 
 
How the EAUC can help you

For Institutional Leaders

• The FE Governance Toolkit is part of a suite of sustainability resources provided for governors by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF). This toolkit was written by ETF, Association of Colleges (AoC) and EAUC, and supports governors to address climate change as a strategic business issue.
• The Guide for Members of Governing Bodies highlights the institutional benefits available through making sustainability a point of focus among senior staff teams, to share with their wider committees and council representatives.  
• Discover the Business Case for Sustainability guide, that details the critical opportunities for value creation and risk mitigation at a time when universities and colleges seek to become more resilient in an increasingly difficult climate. 
• Make your institution a global leader by signing The SDG Accord. The SDG Accord is the international university and college sector’s collective response to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with signatories profiled annually at United Nations events.  
• Gain national and international recognition at the longstanding Green Gown Awards. These Awards includes the International Green Gown Awards, and the Australasian Green Gown Awards. 
• Use the Climate Change Adaptation Guide to discover how to effectively embed considerations of climate change risk within your existing risk and business continuity procedures. 
• We represent our members across further and higher education on how education and sustainability connect, using our partnerships with leading groups such as the Aldersgate Group, UKSSD and the Global Alliance.   

For Sustainability Specialists

• Gain the skills of a strategic sustainability leader through the Leadership Lab Programme, where you can develop expertise and confidence.  
  Engage your leadership teams in the The SDG Accord and encourage student bodies to co-sign. The SDG Accord is the global university and college sector’s collective response to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  
• Join our private discussion network aimed specifically towards sustainability professionals, passionate staff, and those seeking to network widely. Contact us for more information. 
• Use the Sustainability Leadership Scorecard (SLS) to engage colleagues across your institution to coordinate a whole-institution approach to sustainability. SLS offers a valuable gap analysis to progress, as well as mapping your activities across the SDGs.  
• Gain senior management recognition and national and international recognition at the Green Gown Awards.  
• Attend our Annual Conference to learn about the sector’s latest activities, network with new and like-minded professional, and engage it workshops. 
• We provide further resources on Leadership and Staff Engagement and Human Resources.