2023 Sustainability Report
Report overview
This is the University’s second report under the Sustainability Plan 2030 (SP2030). Released in May 2022, SP2030 outlines our vision and aspirations for a sustainable University of Melbourne.
This report also provides information on the University’s progress towards broader commitments we have made as signatories of national and global sustainability and climate initiatives, including:
United Nations Global Compact
see Coordinating Sustainability Plan 2030 implementation and Community of Sustainability Learners and Practitioners for information on how we are embedding sustainability in our strategy, culture and day-to-day operations.
Nature Positive Universities Alliance
see Healthy Ecosystems and the launch of the Melbourne Biodiversity Institute for information on how we are reducing our impact on nature in line with our Nature Positive Pledge.
Race to Zero initiative
see Climate Leadership for details of our progress towards our target of Climate Active carbon neutral certification by 2025.
United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment
see our Sustainability Financing Framework and Responsible Investments for information on our efforts to manage our investments responsibly.
The University is actively assessing the implications of new sustainability and climate reporting requirements from the Australian Accounting Standards Board anticipated in 2024. We have embedded sustainability and climate risk in the University Risk Register and are in the process of deepening our understanding of climate risk, including physical, transition and strategic risks.
Read more under the SP2030 ‘Climate Resilience’ priority area.
Our sustainability strategy
Advancing Melbourne lays out our vision and strategy for a world leading and globally connected University of Melbourne. The Sustainability Plan 2030 (SP2030) is the University’s institutional strategy for delivering on the aspirations of Advancing Melbourne sustainably. SP2030 sits beneath the University’s evergreen Sustainability Charter, which sets out an enduring vision for embedding sustainability in our core purposes of research, learning and teaching, and in all our operations and activities.
SP2030 sits alongside a suite of institutional strategies designed to enhance the University’s positive impacts and contribution to society, including social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability:
- Sustainability Framework
- Sustainability Financing Framework
- Murmuk Djerring Indigenous Strategy 2023-2027
- Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2030
- Advancing Students and Education Strategy: 2023-2030
- People Strategy 2023-2030
- Research Strategy 2010-2025
- Modern Slavery Statement 2022 (2023 statement to be released in June 2024)
Tracking progress against our sustainability targets
In this report, we have assessed our progress against each of the 28 targets in SP2030. Under each priority across the report, the status of each target is included along with a comment on progress in 2023. We have determined the status based on the following matrix:
 |  |  |  |
On track | In progress | Needs attention | Not yet started |
The University has a coordinated plan to address the target; implementation is underway and data demonstrates we are on track | The University is working to coordinate plans to address the target; some implementation is underway and data demonstrates some progress has been made | There is insufficient evidence of planning, implementation or data to track progress towards addressing the target | No action has been taken because the target is dependent on achievement of other target(s) in SP2030 |
| SP2030 priority area | Target | Status |
|---|---|---|
Climate leadership | The University is certified carbon neutral by 2025 |
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The University has achieved climate positive status by 2030 |
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Campuses as living laboratories | The University has curated living labs covering the priority areas of this Plan |
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Community of sustainability learners and practitioners | The University’s Academic Divisions and portfolios support and learn from each other to embed sustainability in practice and in learning – formal, non-formal and informal |
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The University community shows increased uptake of positive sustainability skills, knowledge and behaviours through non-formal and informal learning |
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The University offers a suite of student-centered, formal and non-formal applied sustainability learning opportunities, informed by inter and trans-disciplinary approaches |
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Academic and professional staff have increased their participation in and contribution to formal and non-formal learning to develop their general and role-specific sustainability skills |
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The University has increased its engagement with alumni regarding sustainability |
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Graduates for a sustainable future | Sustainability is integrated into curriculum to an extent that conscientiously extends, beyond a base threshold, each discipline’s (and associated professions/industries’) knowledge of the helpful and harmful impacts it has for the environmental and human systems we depend on |
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Graduates have increased capabilities to shape, lead and succeed in the careers, communities and industries of sustainable societies (year on year). |
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Discovery | Sustainability research is integrated with campus operations and planning, to be an international exemplar of a sustainable community |
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The highest quality research is conducted that contributes to knowledge, action, and impact across the disciplinary and interdisciplinary dimensions of sustainability. |
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Researchers make considered decisions on the sustainability impact of their research practices and activities |
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Indigenous knowledges | The University has an increased understanding of sustainability from an Indigenous perspective through co-created or Indigenous-led reciprocal learning |
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Engagement and partnerships | The University’s community partnerships demonstrate ocalized and co-created approaches to sustainability. |
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The University has led or influenced discussions with precinct partners to further precinct-specific approaches to sustainability |
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The University is playing a leading and convening role on sustainability challenges and opportunities internationally, with particular focus on vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Asia and the Pacific |
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Climate resilience | The University reaches and maintains a ‘high’ climate change preparedness level |
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Healthy ecosystems | Each campus achieves no net loss of biodiversity relative to defined baseline years by 2025 |
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Each campus achieves an increase of biodiversity relative to defined baseline years by 2030 |
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Healthy water cycles | The University has reduced total water consumption by 10% relative to a 2019 baseline |
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The University has significantly increased the proportion of water consumption from non-potable sources compared to a 2019 baseline |
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Just and circular economy | The University has reduced waste to landfill to 10kg per person |
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The University has reduced the flow and improved the circularity of materials passing through the University |
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The University has principles for ethical and sustainable consumption and service provision embedded into operations and procurement practices |
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The University tracks spend with social and Indigenous suppliers, setting targets from 2024 |
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Responsible investment | The University’s investment portfolio will be included in our commitment to be climate positive by 2030 |
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Enhanced transparent reporting of the University’s investment portfolio |
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Coordinating Sustainability Plan 2030 implementation
Achieving our targets in SP2030 requires coordinated action at all levels of the University.
The Sustainability Advisory Group (SAG) is a key component of the University’s sustainability governance structure. SAG’s role is to advise the Chief Operating Officer on the implementation of SP2030, as its executive sponsor, consistent with the long-term commitments of the University’s Sustainability Charter and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. SAG members include executives, academic and professional staff, and student representatives, who meet quarterly to review progress updates from sustainability strategy and operational teams, acting as a conduit to their respective portfolios and stakeholders.
At the end of 2023, 16 sustainability-focused staff were employed across the University to support the embedding of sustainability in everything we do. This includes:
- Associate Deans Sustainability (or equivalent) roles created in eight of nine faculties, with formal appointments in six of these roles by the end of 2023. Associate Deans Sustainability are leading sustainability action planning in their respective faculties.
- The Sustainability Strategy team, led by Katie Mee, which is responsible for coordinating the University’s sustainability strategy, governance, reporting and implementation. Contact the Sustainability Strategy team.
- The Sustainability team in Campus Management, led by Sue Hopkins, which leads campus operational sustainability and internal engagement and communication, including waste and circular economy, water, energy, biodiversity, transport and sustainable event management. Contact the Sustainability Team – Campus Management.
- Procurement Services in the Chief Financial Officer Group, led by Matt Hawkins, which is working to embed sustainability, and Indigenous and social procurement, in the University’s supply chain.
Plans for 2024
Here’s how we plan to progress each target in SP2030 in 2024:
| SP2030 priority area | Plans for 2024 |
|---|---|
| Climate leadership |
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| Campuses as living laboratories |
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| Community of sustainability learners and practitioners |
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| Graduates for a sustainable future |
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| Discovery |
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| Indigenous knowledges |
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| Engagement and partnerships |
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| Climate resilience |
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| Healthy ecosystems |
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| Healthy water cycles |
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| Just and circular economy |
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| Responsible investment |
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Our sustainability strategy
At the University of Melbourne, our efforts in sustainability are guided by Sustainability Plan 2030 - a roadmap for sustainable delivery of our institutional strategy Advancing Melbourne.
Read more about how we are advancing sustainability at the University:
