Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2010 by the editorial team at Canada's Top 100 Employers in partnership with The Globe and Mail.
"An important element in Kwantlen’s mandate is to promote responsible sustainability," said Dr. David Atkinson, Kwantlen president and vice-chancellor. "That Kwantlen has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers is a testament to its commitment to environmental leadership and an indication that it follows through on its promises."
Each employer is evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers in terms of: (1) the unique environmental initiatives and programs they have developed; (2) the extent to which they have been successful in reducing the organization's own environmental footprint; (3) the degree to which their employees are involved in these programs and whether they contribute any unique skills; and (4) the extent to which these initiatives have become linked to the employer's public identity and whether they attract new people to the organization.
As one of 50 organizations in Canada to earn this prestigious distinction, Kwantlen is proud to become one of only six Canadian post-secondary institutions that has been named Canada’s Greenest Employer for 2010. Kwantlen’s leading-edge environmental initiatives include:
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification on all of Kwantlen’s new building construction, including its state-of-the-art Cloverdale Campus, and a new geothermal heating system in the university's new greenhouse
- A number of conservation programs to address overall energy consumption, including a water conservation program and the most advanced climate control systems that monitor and regulate heating, cooling, humidity, lighting and even CO2 levels
- An energy management team that oversees the university's continually evolving resource management program — and is working towards 45 per cent electrical and 25 per cent natural gas reductions (over its baseline year 2000)
- An institution-wide program through which students, faculty and employees are actively involved in volunteering, educating and supporting a number of in-house and community initiatives every year, from showcasing environmental films to selling vermicomposting bins to university departments to hosting public lectures on issues ranging from fair trade coffee to sustainable urban planning design
“This award recognizes the collective efforts made by the talented faculty and staff of Kwantlen Polytechnic University to support a workplace and learning environment that aspires to inform and transform attitudes and values to reflect our role as a responsible and sustainable educational institution. This is an example of what can be accomplished when there is a common vision and a common goal," commented Deborah Harkin, vice-president human resources services at Kwantlen.
Launched in 2007, the Canada's Greenest Employers competition is organized by the editors of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. This special designation recognizes the employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. These employers have developed exceptional earth-friendly initiatives — and are attracting people to their organizations because of their environmental leadership. For more info, visit: http://www.canadastop100.com/environmental/
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