PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – The University of Northern British Columbia has once again been named as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc.
This marks the seventh consecutive year UNBC has garnered the honours from the editors of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers competition.
“The ethos of sustainability permeates our campuses as our passionate faculty, students and staff collaborate every day to discover green solutions and explore environmentally friendly opportunities,” says UNBC president Dr. Daniel Weeks. “This recognition from the Canada’s Greenest Employers competition is a point of pride for the entire UNBC community.”
UNBC is recognized for its many environmental initiatives, including:
- The award-winning bioenergy plant and the wood pellet plant heat most of the buildings at the Prince George campus, reducing UNBC’s reliance on natural gas.
- Green University Planning Committee, a multi-stakeholder committee which includes members of the University’s senior leadership, faculty members, students, staff, and campus groups. The committee meets regularly with the goals of engendering a culture of sustainability at the University, improving UNBC’s national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research in sustainability and making UNBC’s campuses more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.
- UNBC fosters employee- and student-led opportunities to launch new sustainability projects on campus through the Green Fund. Supported by parking revenues, the fund provides grants to pilot green activities and research projects.
- Electric car charging stations at the Prince George campus.
- Discounted parking rates for employees who carpool.
- A campus-wide composting program.
UNBC is one of eight universities included on the list this year and is the only employer in Northern B.C. to earn the recognition.
Organized annually by Mediacorp, the awards recognize 70 Canadian employers. The selection criteria includes: the unique environmental initiatives or programs employers have developed; whether employers have been successful in reducing their own environmental footprint; whether their employees are involved in these programs and contribute unique skills; and whether their environmental initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity to attract new people to the organization.