Preaching what we practice: experiences from implementing ISO 14001 at the University of Glamorgan

Abstract

Purpose -To provide an overview of how environmental management systems (EMSs) are becoming sporadically employed within higher educational institutions. Design/methodology/approach -An overview of international developments in sustainable education and within UK universities. Focuses specifically on the University of Glamorgan, Wales. Findings -EMSs have been historically perceived as of little importance within most of the UK higher educational sector. Documents how the University of Glamorgan, Wales became the first university in the UK to have all of its operations accredited to ISO 14001. Originality/value -Provides a summary of a higher education institution's path to ISO 14001 accreditation.

Choosing an appropriate university or college environmental management system

“…Other authors have argued that a unique university EMS model is required [8,9]. In practice, while there are universities that have found benefit in obtaining formal certification for their EMS [7,10,11], most are pursuing informal (no intention of seeking certification) EMS models [1,3,12] with varying levels of structure [2,[13][14][15]. Most of these informal EMS are based on ISO 14001, EMAS or BS 7750 guidelines [16,17], but others use a different model all together [18,19].…”

“…Anderson Cancer Center [8]. Other ISO 14001 certifications around the world include, but are not limited to: Mä lardalen University, Chalmers Institute of Technology and University of Gävle in Sweden [2,11,30]; University of Glamorgan, and University of Wales, School of Medicine (UWSM) in the UK 3 [7]; University of Paderborn -Process Engineering in Germany [6], and University of Queensland in Australia.…”

“…Some authors have argued that the ISO 14001 model for environmental management systems (EMSs) is ideally suited for any organization, including higher education institutions [3,6,7]. Other authors have argued that a unique university EMS model is required [8,9].…”

“…There may also be a faculty member whose expertise is in energy efficiency or some other aspect of environmental management who has no communication with the staff responsible. Also key in an EMS, but difficult on a campus, is the communication among staff, faculty, students and management [7,11,16]. Faculty members, and even specific management personnel tend to have excellent communication within their field outside their own institutions, but little communication across stakeholders within their institution.…”

Greening the Ivory Tower: A Review of Educational Research on Sustainability in Post-Secondary Education

“…In comparing university auditing of sustainability practice for universities in New Zealand, Fisher [73] suggests that the ISO 14000 series of environmental standards would be useful for campuses commencing sustainability reviews. The same recommendation exists for universities in the UK [74]. In 2007, a scheme titled -Universities that Count‖ was promoted by the British Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) in collaboration with the business organization Business in the Community, in order to bring sustainability policies from the business world into the realm of PSE institutions [75].…”