"We are very proud that the University of Borås once again ranks high in environmental work in comparison with other authorities," says Birgitta Losman, Vice-Chancellor's Coordinator for Sustainable Development.

About the report Environmental Management in the Government
Each year, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency compiles a report on the environmental management at government agencies. Among the country's HEIs, the University of Borås received 21 points together with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, (SLU). Gothenburg University received 22. The maximum score is 23.

"We have continued our systematic work at the university and work hard to integrate environmental management into the regular work of the organisation. There is a commitment to sustainability issues at all levels of the organisation. We have worked particularly with deepening the collaboration with the students. Despite our ranking, we have a lot of work to do," she says.

For example, on the agenda is to further strengthen and deepen internal environmental work and to continue active work on the Agenda 2030 goals together with the business sector, the public sector, and society at large.

Well-established environmental management system

The high ranking in the report is due to the fact that the University of Borås has a well-established environmental management system. The system is certified by RISE and the university has a clear action plan with goals for the period 2017-2019, which are made concrete at departmental and Faculty levels. The work is reviewed by a team of careful internal auditors, which is important as well as the annual, external environmental audit.

"Being highly ranked does not mean that the environmental performance is better than other authorities, but that there is a systematicity to the work," explains Birgitta Losman.

Read more

Read more about the university's work on sustainable development.

Agenda 2030 (government website, in Swedish).

Text: Solveig Klug
Photo: Anna Sigge
Translator: Eva Medin