Swinburne reaffirms commitment to sustainability on release of 2014 report
In Summary
Swinburne has released its second sustainability report using the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines – the world benchmark for sustainability reporting.
The report reflects Swinburne’s approach to managing economic, environmental and social impacts.
“Much of Swinburne’s high-quality research is focussed on one or more aspects of sustainability and, increasingly, this research and its real-world application has the potential to transform lives and create more sustainable outcomes both for individuals and society,” Swinburne University of Technology’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Linda Kristjanson, said.
“The report aims to provide our students, staff, alumni and partners with a snapshot of our progress so that we have a better understanding of what we need to do to improve further,” Professor Kristjanson said.
Swinburne’s sustainability highlights for 2014 include:
- the development of an above ground bushfire shelter that can withstand intense fire for up to an hour, potentially saving many lives
- the conversion of waste destined for landfill into road and pavement infrastructure
- a public commitment to achieving pay equity for female staff and the recognition as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality by the Australian Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency
- the development of a a technique for converting winery waste into compounds that can be used for medicines or biofuels
- carpentry apprentices helping to build a school in India.