The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, based in Philadelphia, recently released a report that recognises Ontario Tech University’s significant commitment to sustainability (AASHE).
Ontario Tech received a Gold rating from AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS), a voluntary framework used by universities and colleges to monitor, report, and strengthen their contributions to sustainability, much as it did in the 2019 report. In 17 different impact areas, the index acknowledges top-performing North American institutions and colleges.
The AASHE Sustainable Campus Index (SCI) (full PDF report) acknowledges institutions with remarkable report accuracy and quality, as well as creative and high-impact institutional features. (Note: Because some of Ontario Tech’s data was received before the university’s brand change in March 2019, the university is listed in this SCI report under its old name (University of Ontario Institute of Technology).)
Ontario Tech is ranked in the top ten SCI rankings.
In addition to receiving the SCI’s renowned Gold rating, Ontario Tech was named to the Top-10 list of Top Performing Master’s Institutions (defined as universities conferring at least 50 master’s degrees annually but less than 20 doctoral degrees), ranking No. 9 overall.
In the subcategory of Purchasing, Ontario Tech was ranked third for selecting environmentally and socially preferable commodity-specific products (electronics, cleaning, and paper) and supporting companies with strong sustainability commitments.
Ontario Tech’s Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability (OCIS) handles the university’s substantial efforts in campuswide environmental stewardship through its Go Green initiative. OCIS is in charge of a number of areas, including energy use, water use, waste management, recycling, transportation.