Details of the Plan

Design and Planning of the SMP

Sustainability Policy

Senior management and shared governance committees define the SMP within an appropriate scope for the college's mission, goals, activities and services. These stakeholders should also ensure that the SMP is driven by a commitment to continuous improvement, complies with legal and regulatory requirements, provides a framework for setting and reviewing policy objectives and targets, is communicated effectively to all within the college and is publicly available. Read the policy.

Environmental Aspects

An effective SMP will identify, document and maintain procedures that relate directly to all of the sustainability issues that are relevant to the college's operations, strategic planning process and financial management. The college should identify the sustainability issues that are within the scope of the SMP and those it can control. This process essentially identifies the sustainability priorities that the college will initially address with the SMP and leads to the definition of the written policies

Legal and Other Requirements

All applicable legal and regulatory requirements that affect the college's business and relate to sustainability issues must be identified. When drafting the requirements of the SMP, ensure not only full compliance to these laws and regulations, but strive to exceed them.

Objectives, Targets and Programs

The college shall define all responsible parties (at every level of the college from the president to construction contractors, from academic deans to food service staff) whose actions and decisions may affect the sustainability priorities set by the college. A clear and measurable set of objectives and targets will be tasked to these parties. In doing so, the college shall adhere to the Sustainability Policy and Plan. Appendix B describes applicable legal requirements, technology options, and financial, operational and business requirements.

Gaining Support for and Operationalizing the SMP

Resources, Roles, Responsibility and Authority

The president shall identify point persons and/or teams who will manage the implementation of the SMP. These persons and/or teams (which will include CEAG, student, faculty, staff and administrators) will be responsible for communicating and reporting the performance and status of the SMP in order to identify areas where the SMP can be continually updated.

Competence, Training and Awareness

The college shall encourage participation in training and education programs for all individuals and stakeholders within and outside of the college to ensure awareness of and involvement in the SMP.

Communication

The college shall execute its SMP through oral and written communication and practice to all internal and external stakeholders.

Documentation

The college shall establish a documentation plan for managing compliance and performance of its SMP. This plan shall serve as a guide for all internal stakeholders and provide a framework for evaluation and auditing by internal as well as external parties for continuous improvement of theSMP.

Documentation Control

All important and relevant documents associated with the SMP should be controlled and accessible to the college and external third parties.

Management Controls and Responses

The college shall set specific operational and management guidelines for all decisions-making, activities and services that interact and affect the sustainability priorities it has chosen. These guidelines shall be consistent with the previously identified SMP objectives and targets.

Checking and Validating the Operation and Continuous Improvement of the SMP

Monitoring and Measurement

In order to evaluate the performance of the SMP, the college shall establish, implement and maintain a monitoring and measurement program focused on applicable decisions, activities and services.

Evaluation of Compliance

The college shall develop a protocol and time line for documenting testing, auditing to, and ensuring compliance with all applicable legal and other requirements to which it is committed.

Nonconformity, Corrective Action and Preventive Action

When there are problems with performance of the SMP, with participation in the SMP to achieve the Sustainability ACTION PLANS, or with legal compliance, the college shall address them with a clear process which identifies the non-conformance, sets a program for corrective and preventive actions, and documents the process with timelines and responsibilities/ accountabilities for completion. For continuous improvement of the overall SMP, non-conformities should be evaluated, and the management criteria set out by the SMP shall be reviewed within this context, and if necessary, revised.

Control of Records

Essential documents, data, reports and records shall be maintained and stored via an established process so that they can be retrieved and audited.

Internal Audit

Internal SMP compliance audits shall be conducted at planned intervals to critique, review and assess the entire performance of the SMP. This audit shall address how the college's SMP measures up to its own criteria as well as the requirements set by the written processes and procedures.

Management Review

Senior management shall review and assess the entire performance of the SMP in response to regular audits. Senior management in collaboration with the college community shall address and identify opportunities for improvement and recommend activities and actions to change the sustainability policy. Recommendations shall include specific objectives and targets or other elements of the SMP.