Algonquin College Sustainability Strategy

Client: Algonquin College
Location: Ottawa/Perth/Pembroke, Ontario
Timeline: 2008-2010

Project Overview
Algonquin College has 16,000 full time and 33,000 part time students and 1,100 employees over three campuses located in Ottawa, Perth and Pembroke. SSG was awarded a competitive bid to work with Algonquin College to develop a sustainability assessment, complete a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions baseline, and develop a comprehensive sustainability strategy, business case and action plan involving all three campuses. With this project, Algonquin College advances to the leading edge of institutional sustainability, realizing triple bottom line returns while generating graduates with the capacity to propagate sustainability values in their personal and professional spheres of influence.

Our Role

• Providing strategic sustainability consulting.
• Collecting effective sustainability practices from universities, colleges and institutions around the world.
• Assessing the establishing GHG and sustainability baselines.
• Developing, delivering and facilitating the public engagement process.
• Determining a business case for sustainability actions.
• Establishing a sustainability management system and action plan.

Our Approach

SSG worked closely with a multi-stakeholder committee at the College to develop and refine every aspect of this project and its deliverables. We engaged campus community members by facilitating interactive World Cafés and stakeholder focus group workshops. SSG compiled a Sustainability Best Practices Report with the most up to date and relevant campus sustainability examples and case studies from around the world. The College’s baseline Sustainability Assessment Report was completed through a thorough and collaborative process and covers a broad range of social, environmental and economic indicators.