The university's environmental management system
The university works with its environmental impact through an environmental management system, a structure that promotes systematic environmental work.
As a government agency, the university must meet the requirements of Ordinance (2009:907) on Environmental Management in Government Agencies. Additionally, the university has chosen to certify its environmental operations according to the requirements of the ISO 14001 environmental management standard.
Binding requirements
Stockholm University is subject to laws, regulations, and other requirements in the environmental area. These are compiled in the university's legal monitoring service.
Environmental policy
The environmental policy sets the overall direction of the university's environmental and sustainability work. It states, among other things, that the university should continuously reduce its negative environmental impact.
Environmental and climate impact
In the university's environmental assessment, conducted at least every five years, the university's environmental impact is evaluated. This assessment results in a list of significant environmental aspects, meaning the university's activities with the greatest environmental impact. Most environmental aspects, such as travel and chemical use, result in negative environmental impacts. The university also indirectly contributes to positive environmental impacts through internal skills development and by educating students, conducting research, and collaborating in the environmental field.
The university's significant environmental aspects are:
- Buildings and premises (negative)
- Travel, transport, and work tools (negative)
- Consumption (negative)
- Chemical use/gas consumption (negative)
- Reuse, recycling, and waste (negative)
- Education, research, and collaboration (positive)
- Internal skills development (positive)
The significant environmental aspects are assessed based on all activities at the university; the significance of environmental aspects varies at the local level.
The climate tool also shows annually updated information on the university's climate impact on both the general and local levels.
Based on the university's environmental aspects and climate impact, there are three prioritised areas for general environmental work: properties, procurement, and business travel. The Climate Roadmap contains goals and action proposals for each area.
Environmental goals
The Climate Roadmap includes the university's overarching environmental goals. Stockholm University aims to be carbon neutral by 2040.
Based on the prioritised emission areas, the university has the following objectives:
Procurement of goods and services: Stockholm University aims to achieve a 30% reduction in emissions by 2026, compared to the reference year of 2019.
Business travel: Stockholm University aims to achieve a 30% reduction in emissions by 2026, compared to the reference year of 2019.
Stockholm University's Climate Roadmap for the Period 2020–2040 (Swedish)
The university administration prepares an action plan every two years that includes environmental goals and measures related to the administrative offices’ areas of responsibility.
At departments environmental action plans are established annually.
Communication and skills development
The communication of systematic environmental work aims to increase employees' knowledge about the environment, contribute to greater engagement in environmental issues, enable and guide behavioral changes that favour the environment, and encourage actions and measures that promote a healthy environment and sustainable development.
Information about local environmental work is available in the university's digital newsletter, "Miljöbrevet", which is published approximately 4 times per semester. It is mainly aimed at environmental representatives and contains news, information, and good examples of the university's environmental work.
Subscribe to the environmental newsletter
In the learning platform Athena, there is a digital environmental training course for Environmental Representatives, heads of departments, and division managers at the university. The training takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Course content:
- Why sustainability and the environment are priority issues for the university
- Our goals and how our environmental impact is measured
- Responsibilities and roles within the university’s environmental work
arför hållbarhet och miljö är prioriterade frågor för universitetet
The training is accessible to you if you are an Environmental Representative or manager. If you lack access to the training, contact miljo@su.se.
There are also recurring training sessions related to laboratory activities, such as risk assessment in the chemical management system KLARA, radiation safety training, and handling of liquid nitrogen.
Internal and external audits
To meet the requirements of the Environmental Management Ordinance and the ISO 14001 environmental management standard, Stockholm University must conduct annual internal and external environmental audits. At Stockholm University, two providers conduct the external and internal audits, respectively. The central environmental function coordinates the audits. At the local level, it is mandatory for the head of department/manager and environmental representative to participate.