Office of Sustainability

UM earns third STARS gold rating for sustainability efforts

UM's gold award from STARS
Estimated Read Time:
2 minutes
UM's gold STARS award.
UM's gold STARS award.
Estimated Read Time:
2 minutes
By

Office of Sustainability

The University of Manitoba has earned a STARS gold rating for the third time in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for post-secondary institutions to measure their sustainability performance. UM’s 2026 STARS report is available on the STARS website.

With more than 1,300 participants in 53 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely used standard in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance.

Participants report achievements in five categories: 

  1. Academics
  2. Engagement
  3. Operations
  4. Planning and administration
  5. Innovation and leadership
Did you know?

All UM students, staff and faculty have access to the AASHE community, resources, events and education. Create and account using your umanitoba email address. For assistance, email sustainability@umanitoba.ca

UM began STARS in 2015 with a silver ranking and improved to gold in the last three reporting periods in 2019, 2022 and 2026. 

Highlights

Academics, including curriculum and research at UM, continue to stand out amongst other categories: 

  • Over half of departments offer sustainability-related and -focused courses for undergraduate and undergraduate students. Each term, students have access to a wide array of courses that focus on sustainability or embed sustainability themes into other topics. Check out the course listing.
  • Students have access to a plethora of applied learning and living laboratory experiences to translate their sustainability knowledge into action. From co-ops and internships to MITACS programs to opportunities with Community Engaged Learning, learners engage directly with the world around them and apply theoretical sustainability concepts in diverse contexts.
  • Researchers in 65 per cent of departments are actively engaged in sustainability research. UM researchers are focused on social and environmental topics and are integrating actionable approaches to address sustainability challenges.
  • Having open and shared course materials available.
17 squares of the UN sustainability goals
four students in green tshirts
Left to right: United Nations Sustainable Development goals taught in many UM courses. Students of the Sustainability Ambassador Program .

Within operations, UM continues to be recognized by STARS for our collective efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:

  • Use of hydro-electricity and the installation of electric boilers in the Central Energy Plant help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The establishment of the Green Investment Fund helps advance the Climate Action Plan and sustainability commitments within MomentUM.
  • Providing landscaping and grounds maintenance that limits use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.
  • UM Dining Services (Aramark) taking a Coolfood Pledge to cut 25 per cent of food-related emissions by 2030.
  • Having a dining service that donates surplus food, provides pre- and post-consumer organics collection, and tracks food and organic materials management annually.
UM's power generating plant with large steam stacks
tall grasses in field in front of building
Left to right: UM's Central Energy Plant now has electric boilers to power heating and cooling. The native prairie grasses are just one way landscapes are managed without pesticides.

UM also received credit for the following:

  • Committing to responsible investing, ensuring environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are included in decision making. As an investor, UM assesses and responds to ESG considerations, and also mitigates and prevents social and environmental harms arising from investment practices.
  • Staff and faculty have access to wellbeing and assistance programs (Intranet link) that support their physical, emotional spiritual needs, as well as environmental health and safety programs to support their work activities.
  • Having available free or low-cost public access to space for meetings, meeting basic needs, cultural services and recreational services.
  • Having a designated Fair Trade Campus at the Bannatyne campus.

Keeping the MOMENTUM

As we collectively advance our sustainability goals here at UM, the community is encouraged to continue learning and exploring the world around us.

Get involved!

Attend events, like Sustainability Night, join a student club, take courses that have a sustainability focus and keep striving to address the sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow.  

Boilerplate: sustainability

We pursue sustainability in its many forms—societal, cultural, economic, environmental. Building a sustainable future is among the commitments you’ll find in MomentUM: Leading change together, the University of Manitoba’s 2024–2029 strategic plan.