Community

Sustainability is a core value that drives partnerships at Seneca. Collaboration with Indigenous, racialized and equity-seeking communities, marginalized citizens, postsecondary institutions, industry, non-governmental organizations, governments and neighbouring communities is an essential way for Seneca to build a more sustainable future.

Equally important to external relationships is the creation of strong partnerships and collaborative efforts internally.

United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 4. Quality Education
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 12. Responsible Consumption and Production
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 13. Climate Action
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 17. Partnerships for the Goals

 

 

Our Goals

  • develop an external engagement framework that focuses on two-way partnerships that grow relations over time
  • establish a campus engagement framework that focuses on capacity-building and empowerment
  • create a responsive communications strategy that informs and inspires action and ownership and which relays progress

 

Our Stories

Sustainable Seneca Committee

The Sustainable Seneca Committee is a cross-institutional stakeholder group of students and employees co-chaired by David Neale, Executive Director, Campus Services, and Kurt Muller, Dean, Faculty of Communication, Art & Design. The committee advises Seneca’s Office of Sustainability and makes recommendations on the strategic actions and priorities outlined in Seneca’s sustainability plan.

Terms of Reference

Farmers Market

Seneca’s farmers market normally takes place between spring and fall at Newnham and King campuses. The market features local farm-fresh products such as produce, baked goods, meat, Seneca Honey and more.

Green Citizen Symposium

The annual event hosted by Seneca’s Green Citizen initiative brings together thought leaders, students and the community to engage in important discussions about sustainability. The initiative is led by Andrew Wickham, a member of the Sustainable Seneca Committee.

Red Dot Project

All 100 female, accessible and gender-neutral washrooms at Seneca offer free feminine hygiene products. The initiative supports the Red Dot Project and promotes healthy well-being, sanitation hygiene and equal access to a basic need.

Ribbon Skirts

Thanks to a collaboration between the School of Fashion and First Peoples@Seneca, traditional ribbon skirts — sacred regalia worn by Indigenous women at ceremonies — were created by fashion students.

Seneca Student Federation (SSF) Initiatives

Food Bank: The SSF operates food banks at Newnham, Markham, Seneca@York and King campuses to increase access to food for students experiencing food insecurity.

Seneca Environmental Association: This SSF club is dedicated to bringing together Seneca students from environmental programs who are passionate about learning and educating others on environmental topics/issues. It also serves as a platform for networking with industry professionals.

Student Services Initiatives 

Seneca Pride Instagram: This dedicated social media account is designed to empower the Seneca 2SLGBTQ+ community and promote social, economic and political inclusion for everyone regardless of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

Pride flag: A Philly Pride Flag is permanently displayed in Senecentre in support of the LGBTQ2S+ community and as an indication that diversity is not only welcome but celebrated on campus.

Seneca Serves: The campus-wide initiative enables students to gain leadership skills by volunteering with non-profit organizations in their local communities.

Seneca HELIX

HELIX is Seneca’s innovation and entrepreneurship incubator. It invites Seneca students, graduates, employees and community members to explore and develop their entrepreneurial mindset.

HELIX provides the tools needed to design and launch a scalable startup or to innovate from within an existing organization as an intrapreneur. It also offers the popular Career Recharge workshops. Presented by TD, Career Recharge helps individuals re-enter the workforce, advance in their field, change careers or start a new venture.

Sexual Violence Policy Training and Women’s Safety Awareness

Seneca’s Sexual Violence Policy addresses the institution’s commitment to providing a work and study environment free of sexual assault and violence. To foster healthy attitudes and behaviours towards sexuality, sex and gender roles, Seneca also offers resources such as sexual assault information, training, e-learning opportunities and workshops that promote awareness about eliminating all forms of violence against women in the public and private spheres.

Human Resources Initiatives

Seneca’s Human Resources department is committed to ensuring a safe, secure, accessible, diverse and inclusive environment at Seneca. Its awareness programs and workshops focus on creating a sustainable and welcoming community for students, faculty and employees. Its policies include diversity, accessibility, recruitment, personal safety, religious observance and respectful workplace.

External partnerships

Seneca works with many external partners to increase opportunities for students and employees to live healthier, more sustainable lives. Partners include Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, World Wildlife Fund and Sustainable Development Solutions Network Canada.

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

AASHE aims to empower higher education students and employees to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation.

Seneca students and employees can use their Seneca email address to register for the AASHE Campus Sustainability Hub, which provides access to resources about sustainability in higher education.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is a worldwide, not-for profit organization with a mission to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.

As part of the Seneca-WWF partnership, students have the opportunity to become a WWF Living Planet Leader. This self-guided certification allows students to build skills and experience in sustainability.

Seneca has also partnered with the WWF to promote the Living Planet@Campus and Living Planet@Work platforms to cultivate leadership towards sustainability and engagement among campus communities.

Sustainable Development SolutionsNetwork (SDSN) Canada

SDSN Canada is part of a global movement to build a network of universities, colleges, research centres and knowledge institutions. Its online communications platform, Mobilize, connects members from around the world. Members of the Seneca community can register for platform access.

SDG Student Program 

The SDG Student Program is a flagship initiative of SDSN Youth, the global youth initiative of the United Nations SDSN Network. The SDG Student Program Hub, which provides free access to resources, aims to foster change that leads to the achievement of SDGs.

SDG Toolkit for Canadian Collegesand Institutes

The SDG Toolkit is a practical guide developed by Colleges and Institutes Canada. The academic chapter features Seneca’s School of Fashion and how it uses fashion design courses to teach the SDGs.

SDG Accord

Seneca is a signatory of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Accord, a worldwide partnership to fight global injustice and advance the role of education in delivering the United Nations’ SDGs. Through the accord, Seneca will work towards attaining the SDGs by 2030 and share sustainable best practices with other institutions.

UN75: Sustainable Engineering inAction

The UN75: Sustainable Engineering in Action book explores the shared commitment between the Institution of Civil Engineers and the United Nations to shape a better future and address the diverse challenges that lie ahead. Highlights of Seneca’s sustainability initiatives are featured on page 165.