Saxion’s sustainability mission: ‘We need to be more aware that we are already doing a lot.’

It is March 2018 when President of the Executive Board, Anka Mulder (see picture) signs up to the so-called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the ‘One World Symposium’. These sustainable development goals that by 2030 at the latest, will bring an end to global poverty, inequality and climate change. A work group is then immediately set up at Saxion to get a clear picture of what the university of applied sciences (UAS) is already actually doing in terms of sustainability in its education, research and operations. And not to be overlooked: the work group is tasked with structurally expanding this in the coming years. “That’s also what I called for from day one: we shouldn’t just sign something, we also have to make it happen,” tells Ingrid Bles, SDGs work group secretary at the time it was set up, and now Project Manager at the Saxion Green Office.

This is the work group’s attitude as it starts work and soon comes up with three scenarios: Saxion continues on the same path; sustainability is stimulated from the bottom up; or fully adopted in top down strategies. Ingrid: “The Executive Board explicitly chose the second scenario: stimulated from bottom up. And once enough interest has been generated, you need to act and facilitate it from top down. Otherwise you won’t progress. We have now reached that turning point.”

Wonderful initiatives

Since signing the SDGs a lot has happened at Saxion in the field of sustainability. For example the Saxion Green Office was set up in the autumn of 2020 and Saxion’s sustainable ambition was set out. In the meantime there are plenty examples of sustainable initiatives: Saxion is the first UAS to receive sustainability certification for its buildings, opens a Fieldlab Circular Innovations and a Circular Textile Lab and by doing so wins a prize for sustainable educational development, signs the UN convention on disabilities, takes the first steps towards a completely circular inventory, opens a Diversity Office and develops the Climate Square for more biodiversity around the buildings. On top of that, various degree programmes are awarded hallmarks or commit to stop using plastic, different research groups develop a wide range of sustainable innovations, students help make complete neighbourhoods more sustainable and every year a special SDG Action Day takes place.

Executive Board President, Anka Mulder is pleased with everything that is happening at Saxion. “As UAS we can and have to contribute to the development of a climate-proof society," says Anka. "That is my firm belief. Through our students, alumni, researchers, staff and our organisation as a whole. There is already a lot being done and I think it is key that we continue to stimulate this and continue to make and encourage choices which help reduce CO2 emissions. For example turning the central heating down a little or through our mobility plan, with a 100% public transport allowance and an excellent bike scheme, but also flying less and travelling less by car. Once again this summer we experienced first-hand that our Earth needs us to change our lifestyle.” 

One of the recent highlights, as already mentioned by Anka, is the new mobility policy. “The spearhead of the new mobility policy is sustainability,” says Ingrid, who can talk at great length about all the different sustainable initiatives at Saxion, including the smaller ones. “Take the Petman for instance, brought into existence by Syntaxis student union, or a Civil Engineering lecturer who teaches students how you can reuse a particular type of dam wall, but also things like the clothes and book swaps during Sustainability Week and the coming initiative concerning menstruation poverty. These are wonderful initiatives that don’t always get labelled as ‘sustainable’, but certainly also deserve attention . This is also the reason that we created the Green Ambassador Programme: to put the people who set up these kinds initiatives in the spotlight.”

'Inspiration and enthusiasm work'

Where are we now as UAS in terms of sustainability? That’s difficult to say. There’s still plenty to accomplish, according to Ingrid. “We need to be more aware that we are already doing a lot. That instantly makes the next step easier. You also see that collaboration is being increasingly sought, for example during Sustainability Week, where we collaborate with University of Twente and ROC Twente.” 

“We see that inspiration and enthusiasm work,” says Wenda Hans. “We now take the opportunity in every tender process we are involved in, to make agreements with the supplier regarding sustainability. Such a change process takes time, but what I enjoy seeing is how enthusiastic people become and how they now take the initiative themselves. We will reap the benefits of this in the near future.”

“What is crucial,” continues Wenda, “is that we further embed sustainability in our decision-making. That in every decision, we take careful consideration of the impact on people, planet and profit. I’m looking forward to the coming period, where among other things, we are going to be busy making our premises more sustainable. Everything is now falling into place and that makes me happy. The Opening of the Academic Year this year also had the theme sustainability,” concludes Wenda beaming. “That’s really great, isn’t it!”