Twelve areas of action, comprehensive strategic and operational objectives, a framework for guidance: Paderborn University has published its first sustainability strategy. Right at the start of the strategy process, the Sustainability Working Group decided to base the strategy on the EU’s ‘Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive’ (CSRD) and the associated structure of the ‘European Sustainability Reporting Standards’ (ESRS). This means that the university is following an approach modelled on the reporting and governance standards of large public limited companies in Europe, and is methodically adapting this to the higher education context. The university is not subject to any reporting obligations under the CSRD. The application of the framework is voluntary and serves the purposes of strategic management. “This approach enables us to systematically, future-proof, and comparably capture our university’s key sustainability impacts, risks, and opportunities,” explains Prof. Dr. René Fahr, Vice-President for Transfer and Sustainability.
A framework based on participation, transparency and transfer of knowledge
The development of the sustainability strategy was a participatory process in which the university’s key stakeholders were involved and will continue to be involved in its further implementation, in order to create a holistic and learning-oriented foundation. Methodologically, the analysis followed the principle of double materiality: The analysis covered the university’s impacts on the environment and society, as well as the risks and opportunities arising from sustainability issues for the university itself. Both perspectives were gathered in facilitated workshops with stakeholder representatives. During these sessions, the impacts along the entire value chain, as well as the risks and opportunities, were discussed using scenario-based approaches. The assessment was based on severity, scope, and likelihood of occurrence. Supplemented by a survey of the current situation in teaching and research, the consolidation process resulted in twelve key thematic areas, which were addressed as fields of action and incorporated into the strategic and operational target structure. The topics range from research, teaching, transfer and entrepreneurship, through public, climate protection and operations, procurement, and biodiversity, to circular economy, campus, working conditions, and institutional integration. Each field of action describes a specific scope for action and combines operational and strategic perspectives by identifying concrete starting points in the university’s day-to-day operations whilst also clarifying long-term development goals in line with the university’s understanding of sustainability. In addition to strategic and operational objectives, each field of action contains initiatives. These set out directions and points of connection without definitively stipulating implementation pathways, and provide the university’s departments with their own scope for action.
“With the approach we have chosen, we aim to identify our university’s greatest levers and strategically promote sustainability in line with the university’s own understanding of the concept,” says Prof. Fahr. This approach enhances the transparency and legitimacy of the strategy. Its impact on day-to-day university life is reviewed at regular intervals and feeds back into the further development of the areas of action.
The sustainability strategy is designed as a living document and serves as a starting point that will be continuously updated. It is therefore accessible via a dedicated interactive website, where areas of action, objectives, and initiatives can be updated on an ongoing basis.
This text was translated automatically.
