Sustainability at HVHL
At Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, sustainability is the starting point for everything we conceive and undertake together. For us, sustainability is not a trend, but a tradition. Not a hype, but the heart of everything we do. Not only our education and research, but also our operations and collaborations are steeped in it. It is not for no reason that the SustainaBul (the ranking of Dutch universities and colleges in the field of sustainability) has named us the most sustainable institution of higher education in the Netherlands several years in a row. The ranking is based on the extent to which higher education institutions have integrated sustainability into their teaching, research and operations.
Our Institutional Plan 'Growing as experts in transition' describes how Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences is going forward into the future. We are committed to the following four transitions, to which we are providing an important contribution in cooperation with the field and the government.
Climate change requires major adaptations: a transition to adaptation adjustment) and mitigation (preventing further change).
Sustainable agriculture and food: a transition to a sustainable chain.
Living well with water: a transition to sustainable water management.
Biodiversity and (animal) welfare in rural and urban areas: transition to a sustainable living environment.
Green Offices (GO) Both locations of HVHL have their own Green Office. These are run by a group of enthusiastic HVHL students with the ultimate goal of making our University as sustainable as possible. Green Office is part of the international student network Students for Tomorrow.
Mobility Our sustainable commuting travel policy is linked to "hybrid employment'. HVHL wants to promote combining on-site and home-based work for employees where it is possible. HVHL encourages employees to come to the University in a sustainable manner.
Social sustainability: inclusion and diversity To us, inclusion means that you can be who you are, that you feel valued and can be who you are in the work environment. That you feel free to say what you want to say, of course with respect for another, that there is room for dissent and that there are equal opportunities for all. We believe that differences in gender, age, sexual orientation, cultural and religious background, and work limitations enhance the quality of our education and research.
Sustainable employability of our employees We want to encourage and support employees to continue to do their work well, healthily and with pleasure, and to be able to combine work and private life in every phase of their lives and careers. That is why we pay attention to vitality and resilience and have conversations with our employees about these topics. We also offer a wide range of health solutions and courses on lifestyle, prevention and absenteeism. Sustainable employability is more than just health; for us it is about vitality, job satisfaction and employability.
SDGs 2.0 The United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are and will continue to be important in our education and research programs, support, and facilities. However, in the current new phase of our development as a college, the SDGs come into a broader context. Indeed, extensive and far-reaching transitions are needed. Shaping these sustainable transitions is the enlarging stage of sustainability: SDGs 2.0.
