Sustainability strategy survey: initial results available

Promoting sustainable development in university operations at the University of Kassel is an important concern for the Green Office at the University of Kassel. In the long term, effective framework conditions are to be created in order to fulfill the role model function for sustainability-oriented action towards students and employees as well as towards the public. The aim is to design operational processes and campus management in a way that conserves resources and protects the environment. Ecologically compatible solutions are to be developed step by step to achieve a continuous improvement process in all areas. The first of two online surveys took place in spring 2023 under the title "Establishing a participatory sustainability strategy at the University of Kassel". The aim is to determine the attitudes and behaviors of students and employees, but also to survey their perception of the university's sustainability efforts, climate protection measures and expectations. The first results are now available.

Although the participation of students and employees is rather low at just under 1,400 responses, the survey nevertheless provides important indications that individual activities, such as the implementation of an energy saving campaign in 2022/23, ideas workshops, the establishment of working groups and the implementation of initial measures, such as the construction of drinking water dispensers, bicycle parking spaces, bicycle repair stations and green facades, are perceived in terms of their contribution to the sustainable development of the university. There is also an increased interest in volunteering for sustainable development at the university. 12 percent of those who took part in the survey fully agree with the statement "I would be willing to volunteer for a more sustainable university" (32 percent: somewhat agree). It is also pleasing that students and employees were aware of many measures taken by the university to improve energy efficiency and reduce electricity consumption as a result of the energy-saving campaign in fall/winter 2022/23 (20 percent: strongly agree; 38 percent: somewhat agree).

However, the survey results also show a need for improvement in terms of communication and making operational sustainability development visible. Many of the measures and activities that the university has undertaken in the direction of corporate sustainability development are still too little known and the flow of information and communication within the university must be improved. For example, the sustainability concept with the sustainability guidelines is still too little known. "A sustainability communication concept currently being developed by the Sustain Group, which includes a virtual bulletin board (Sustain Board) and a campus tour (Sustain Tour), could provide support in improving communication and making the measures visible," reports Nadine Chrubasik.

www.uni-kassel.de/go/UmfrageNachhaltigkeitsstrategie

Nadine Chrubasik
Sustainability Manager, Coordinator Green Office,
Sustainability Communication
Tel.: 0561 804-2519
Mail: chrubasik[at]uni-kassel[dot]de