The SDGs: Communicating & Measuring Success
Sustainability at Brock has an online SDG toolbox that was created by students. This toolbox showcases information about the SDGs and how they are being addressed here at Brock and locally in Niagara, as well as globally.
Living in Niagara offers a platform through Niagara Connects to unite people in the Niagara Region to plan, learn, and lead community action by collaborating to build evidence-informed action plans on social, economic, and environmental change for a stronger future.
In Fall 2019, Brock University offered a full training day focused on the SDG’s that you can learn more about below:
Brock University SDG Training Day 2019
Why do organizations participate in sustainability rankings/ratings?
Many organizations, including post-secondary institutions, have recognized the importance of beginning to measure their success in delivering on the SDGs. Sustainability ratings are scores that are generated, typically by a third company, based on an organization’s sustainability efforts.
There are many benefits to sustainability ratings, such as the fact that they hold organizations accountable for their environmental impacts and encourage them to strive to do better and reduce their negative impacts on the planet. Sustainability ratings can also help identify areas that require improved sustainability efforts which help organizations set goals and targets for future years. You will learn more about these benefits and themes later in the course, in the Monitoring and Evaluation module.
There are also challenges when it comes to sustainability ratings. There are many different methods and types of sustainability trackers, so there is not yet a standardized system which means results are diverse and it may be difficult to compare from one system to another. Because organizations submit information for rating systems themselves, there is a risk that not all information is being fully disclosed which can affect the validity of ratings and threaten credibility. Luckily, these systems are continuing to evolve and support transparency.
Times Higher Education Impact Ranking (THE Impact Rankings) is a global ranking that captures universities’ success in addressing all 17 SDGs. The third edition of THE Impact Rankings, which was published in April 2021, included more than 1,200 institutions from 98 countries and regions. Brock University has recently submitted for fourth edition of THE Impact Rankings and will receive the results in April 2022.
