Sustainability Policy

This policy demonstrates Seneca’s commitment to social, economic, and environmental sustainability and aims to establish sustainability as an essential consideration in the planning, design, and delivery of Seneca's academic programs, services and operations.

This policy applies to all Seneca employees, students, contractors, and community partnerships at all Seneca campuses.

Sustainability is the integration of environmental health, social equity, cultural vitality and economic responsibility to create and maintain thriving, diverse, resilient communities for this and future generations.

One of the three pillars of Au Large, Seneca’s strategic renewal initiative, Sustainable Seneca defines our institutional commitment to sustainability.

Seneca Activities are the sum of all activities involving the development and delivery of academic programs and encompassing services which include but are not limited to applied research, student services, information technology, ancillary services, facilities infrastructure and management, renovations, construction and landscaping.

People directly or indirectly involved in Seneca Activities constitute the Seneca Community: students, faculty, staff, external partners, vendors and other stakeholders.

1. Seneca will continuously seek to minimize the negative impact of Seneca Activities on the physical, social, and economic environment.
2. Seneca will promote, encourage and facilitate engagement in sustainability awareness and practices across the Seneca Community.
3. Sustainability will be a permanent and important factor in all Seneca decisions.
4. Seneca will allocate and deploy resources to achieve its sustainability goals, as defined in its sustainability plan.
5. A collaborative approach will be adopted within the Seneca Community in pursuing the Sustainable Seneca goals.
6. Seneca will participate in sustainability initiatives and collaborations locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

1. Sustainability-related learning outcomes will be integrated into the curricula of academic programs, where possible.
2. Seneca will facilitate and collaborate in applied research and living lab projects to address sustainability-related problems and opportunities.
3. Seneca will continuously seek to reduce resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, waste and pollutants that are created during Seneca Activities.
4. Seneca will ensure that ecological integrity will be considered in the design, build and maintenance of our built environment and landscapes.
5. Seneca will apply sustainable procurement practices, including the procurement of locally sourced goods and services, where possible.
6. Seneca will implement best practices in waste management to minimize landfill waste from Seneca Activities.
7. Seneca will monitor and report on its sustainability performance through universally accepted sustainability indicators and benchmarks.

• Seneca Sustainability Plan (PDF)
• Seneca Strategic Plan

• Academic Program Development Policy
• Diversity Policy
• Procurement Policy
• Professional Development Policy

Approval Date: December 2022