Sustainability at Flinders

At Flinders University we’re changing lives and the world. This mission is at the heart of our commitment to supporting and shaping a more sustainable society, focused on meeting our collective needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

As a university, we’re in a unique position to respond to the significant risks our planet and our society are facing. Through our education, research and operations, we’re working hard to lead by example as we identify and implement solutions.

2030 Sustainability Strategy

Flinders University is committed to sustainability, inclusivity, and global responsibility, we will confront challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequalities and lead society towards a brighter future.

Our 2030 Sustainability Strategy is a 'living' document meant to guide and inform our work.

By integrating these pressing issues into our strategic agenda, conducting research, offering sustainability-focused and inclusive educational programs, implementing sustainable practices across all functions, and engaging with external networks, we will actively address societal needs and advance sustainability on a local, national, and global scale.

Principles

1 – Contributing to a Sustainable Society

We acknowledge and align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We will embrace these goals and integrate the SDGs into Flinders' curriculum and research themes.

2 – Taking Climate Action

While already achieving 100% renewable electricity, our decarbonisation roadmap outlines our pathway to further decrease gross direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 42% by 2030, aligning to the Paris Agreement's target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

3 – Having a Whole-of-Flinders Approach

Our Strategy focuses on our strategic pillars, each with its own focus areas, objectives and actions:

image showing 4 pillars as icons with elements of the strategy under each pillar - also shown as icons

Get involved

General enquiries sustainability@flinders.edu.au

Student Association Environment Officer environment.officer@flinders.edu

Study a 'Sustainability-focused' course

Flinders University Sustainability and Environment Club (FUSEC)

Grow, Eat, Learn

Read our 2030 Sustainability Strategy

We are the first institution in the world to earn a coveted Gold rating under the newly released version 3.0 of the international Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).

Sustainability at Flinders

2030 Sustainability Strategy

Principles

Get involved

Focus areas

Learning & Teaching

Review sustainability in the graduate outcomes, topics and courses across the University

Offer sustainability-focused undergraduate and graduate-level degree courses

Develop a sustainability teaching grant that targets interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability

Track the sustainability literacy of students during orientation and graduation

Track societal sustainability contributions of alumni

Identify sustainability topics formally to help students distinguish from other courses

Leverage existing teaching and research outputs to create interdisciplinary sustainability educational opportunities

Energy, Buildings & Construction

Maintain 100% renewal electricity in SA

Major projects minimum rating of 5 Star Green Star, Gold WELL and /or LEED Certification

No new natural gas from 2024

Embed sustainability through Design Guidelines and Standards

Aim to replace 80% of hydrofluorocarbons by 2030

Improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2030

Develop energy storage to support electrification

Develop energy rating system for building tune-ups and operations

Transport

Electrify small vehicle fleet by 2026 and participate in the EV Fleet Pledge Program

Electrify campus bus services by 2026

Enhance cycling and walking infrastructure for Bedford Park and Sturt campuses

Participate in Climate Action Barometer for International Education™

Reduce business-related travel and employee vehicle commute

Produce an Intergrated Transport Plan by 2025

Resource Recovery

Reduce waste by 30% by 2030

Recover high-value deposit recycling materials, electronics

Reduce hazardous and medical waste

Implement 100% commercially compostable food packaging by 2025

Eliminate single-use disposable plastic across food services and retailers

Climate Risk

Conduct a climate risk assessment

Integrate sustainability and climate adaptation principles into master plan

Staff, Alumni & Student Engagement

Include sustainability in student orientation, alumni and university events

Include sustainability in staff professional development and inductions

Peer-to-peer sustainability outreach program for students

Align sustainability activities with Flinders’ Reconciliation Action Plan

Align sustainability activities with the Flinders' Wellbeing Plan and the Indigenous Workforce Strategy

Student community garden and weekly community market

Map and showcase sustainability initiatives on campus

Business & Industry

Advance sustainability research and collaboration through partnerships

Develop partnerships to investigate carbon offset solutions

Driving Responsible Investment

Considers broader ESG factors in Flinders’ investment portfolio

Aim to screen out, disclose and divest from potential and existing investments based on responsible investment factors

Maintain dedicated funding for campus sustainability projects

Research & Innovation

Map research strengths, grants, impacts and partnerships aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals through the Research Now portal

Promote, publicly communicate and support sustainability-related research

Explore opportunities to use the campus as a living laboratory for applied sustainability learning and research

Procurement & Supply

Decarbonise supply chain through sustainability-led supplier arrangements

Prioritise purchase of ESG preferable products and services

Spend analysis to prioritise opportunities to improve GHG emissions

Train staff on sustainable procurement practices

Water

Reduce mains water usage by 20% connecting to an integrated water recycling system

Dual recycled water reticulation and water efficiency for new buildings

Mitigate stormwater run-off impacts with low-impact development

Food & Dining

Provide organic, locally produced, high welfare food and beverages by working with retailers

Minimise food waste

Support local food security through local community market and student community garden

Landscapes & Biodiversity

Assess baseline biodiversity and increase indicators, such as flora and fauna species counts and tree canopy and understorey

Involvement of indigenous knowledge in land management

Adopt a ‘no net loss’ approach to development

Develop an Integrated Pest Management Plan

Community Engagement

Advocate for public policies that advance sustainability

Support the improved sustainability performance of affiliated hospitals

Governance & Strategy

Maintain sustainability vision and decision making as integral to the Flinders University Strategic Agenda