Environmental and sustainability initiatives earn Laurier fourth-straight Canada's Greenest Employers award

May 11, 2022
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO – Wilfrid Laurier University has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the fourth year in a row, a reflection of the university’s continued commitment to its sustainability-focused programs and initiatives, progress in reducing its carbon footprint, and the degree to which sustainability has become a part of Laurier’s workplace culture, spanning operations, academics and community partnerships.

“Being selected as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for four consecutive years is a testament to Laurier's commitment to creating a culture of sustainability that is integrated into daily campus operations and achieved through student, staff and faculty engagement,” said Eric Meliton, manager of the Sustainability Office at Laurier. “Laurier strives to provide opportunities that foster sustainability in our social, environmental and economical practices and inspire greener ways of living across our campuses and within our host communities.”

The annual Canada’s Greenest Employers competition is part of the Canada's Top 100 Employers initiative, led by Mediacorp Canada Inc. Laurier has been named one of Waterloo Area’s Top Employers for four consecutive years and one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People by the same organization.

“Laurier has demonstrated a strong commitment to a culture of sustainability,” said Pamela Cant, Laurier’s chief human resources and equity officer. “We are proud to be recognized once again as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers, which is a reflection of the efforts of our faculty, staff and students to make a positive impact in our local and global communities.”

Highlights of Laurier’s sustainability initiatives include:

• The Sustainable Hawk Fund, which leverages Laurier’s entrepreneurial and community spirit to integrate sustainability practices into all aspects of student life. Each year, $30,000 in funding is committed to students, staff and faculty to implement sustainability projects at the university.
  
  
• The Sustainable Hawk Fund has been named a 2022 Canada’s Clean50 Top Project.
  
  
• Managing in-house waste reduction and recycling programs that extend beyond provincial minimums, including the Move Out program, Free Store, water refill stations, Molok bins, battery and electronic waste drop-off and the donation of used office furniture.
  
  
• The Laurier Energy Efficiency Program (LEEP), a comprehensive, multi-phase initiative to increase the energy efficiency of Laurier’s buildings. The $50-million project includes the installation of rooftop solar panels, battery storage and a fully functioning microgrid.
  
  
• Laurier’s Waterloo campus being designated an official “Bee Campus” by Bee City Canada. Laurier is just the ninth post-secondary campus in Canada and the first in Waterloo Region to be recognized for a dedicated commitment to helping protect and support pollinators.
  
  
• Decreasing transportation-related emissions through initiatives including multiple electric vehicle charging stations, secure bike storage and access to community bike shares.
  
  
• A Certificate in Sustainability for faculty and staff. The goal of the program is to increase employee literacy about global-to-local sustainability topics, as well as encourage behaviour and culture change through increased use of sustainable campus programs and services.
  
  
• Zero Waste Week, which includes workshops, zero-waste cooking classes and a fair; the Green Office Program to encourage staff and faculty to take part in campus sustainability initiatives; and Bike to Work month, which includes a bike repair workshop.
  
  
• The use of cross-laminated timber panels – a structural material with a lower carbon footprint than steel or concrete – in the renovation of the Indigenous Student Centre at Laurier's Waterloo campus. The building is the first in the City of Waterloo to use the material.
  
  
• The Waterloo campus Northdale Community Garden, which supports sustainable partnerships with community non-profits and increased access to local foods on campus.
  
  
• Laurier in 2019 earning a gold rating from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, which measures the sustainability performance of colleges and universities worldwide.
  
  
• Laurier being named among North America's most environmentally responsible post-secondary institutions by The Princeton Review.

Read more about Laurier’s sustainability goals in the university’s Sustainability Action Plan.