With the desire to move forward with a greater degree of commitment, the Universitat de Barcelona has approved a Sustainability Plan with the following strategic objectives:• reduce the environmental impact of the organization in all its areas of activity;• improve efficiency in energy consumption and natural resources;• integrate the values and principles of sustainability in decision making and incorporate good environmental practices at all levels of the institution;• encourage and continue carrying out projects in the field of sustainability to help perform an action exemplary both in the UB as other government and private entities.

The UB Sustainability Plan is divided into 10 strategic lines, each with its own specific objectives:- Natural Values- Spatial Planning and Sustainable Construction- Mobility- Environmental Quality- Energy and Natural Resources- Waste- Communication and Awareness- Cooperation and Volunteering- Curricular Greening- Sustainability ResearchThis initiative has a total of 128 actions, for which have been defined responsibles for implementation and monitoring indicators. The technical office reviews the evolution of the actions, coordinates the planification with the Rector's Delegate for Sustainability and produces the annual report. Due to budgetary restrictions, some of the actions are being redefined during the evaluation process, and other are being carried out applying the learning service methodology, in collaboration with specific bachelor’s degrees and master's degrees.This has led to a greater boost of the Curricular Greening strategic line, which was stagnant, and has facilitated greater integration of the Sustainability Plan within one of the main activities of the university.

The Universitat de Barcelona Sustainability Plan, as an institution responsible to provide the public service of higher education through teaching, study and research, also has the responsibility to carry out their work in a sustainable manner, actively participating and promoting social development without contributing to economic and environmental degradation or depletion of natural resources. This vision is specified in article 4.1.e of our Statute, which proclaims and guarantees "the guidance of teaching and research to the culture of peace, social progress and human development based on human rights and environmental protection and sustainable development". The UB Statute also envisaged in Article 58.2 the creation of "a delegate commission that will ensure that the University respects the criteria of sustainability and environmental protection in all its activities. For this purpose, the said Committee shall establish a program of action of the University in the field of ecological and presented to the University Senate an annual report on the implementation of this program".Following this assignment, the Sustainability Commission (chaired by the Rector's Delegate for Sustainability), designed the Sustainability Plan, and annually approves the Sustainability Plan Report, which is then presented to the Senate of the University.The Office of Health, Safety and Environment provides technical support in the development and monitoring of the plan, and the various administrative units of the University are involved in carrying out the actions assigned in their area of activity.

Universitat de Barcelona