What can Manager’s do to progress sustainability at CSU?

CSU Managers can submit an application or support their staff in submitting an application for the annual CSU Sustainability Grant program. Staff can use this program to implement workplace sustainability initiatives through education and behaviour change initiatives. Examples of previous projects and more information around the selection criteria and funding criteria for 2013 are available on the CSU Green website.

CSU Managers and their staff can increase their sustainability performance in the workplace through hosting a CSU student completing the Green Steps @ CSU program, a free training and internship program for CSU students. Students attend a six day training program where they develop skills in communication, negotiation, professionalism, presentations, behaviour change, sustainability and environmental auditing skills (carbon, water, energy and waste). Students are required to complete a CSU internship on a 15-day sustainability project within a School or Division.

Some key sustainability initiatives have been started in workplace across the University as a result of staff hosting a Green Steps @ CSU student. For example, CSU Training hosted a student at Wagga in 2012 that undertook an environmental audit and provided CSU Training with recommendations on ways to improve their sustainability in the workplace.

The School of Management and Marketing at the Bathurst campus are hosting a student in 2013 to review the following topics and make recommendations for the School: travel and car sharing; energy efficiency opportunities; organics and composting; and cost/benefit of houseplants within the building.

  • Vehicle hire – CSU Managers can actively make change through choosing a CSU fleet vehicle that is competitive on the Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide. As an objective in CSU's Sustainability Enabling Plan 2011-2015, the CSU fleet is aiming to move all vehicles to a 4.5 star rating or better by 2015. Vehicles with high star ratings are the most energy efficient vehicles on the market and are rated by the Australian Federal Government. More information on the program is available at
  • Car pooling – CSU Managers can influence staff to car pool to meetings, to campus or for intercampus travel. Managers can initiate or support staff to car pool to meetings on other campuses or to work each morning, or certain mornings per week. Carpooling just one or two days per week will reduce greenhouse gas emissions because every litre of petrol saved reduces 2.4kg of carbon dioxide emissions from your tailpipe! Add two people to your car and you save 4.8kg!
  • Waste management – Good waste management is imperative to the University's Sustainability Enabling Plan 2011-2014 to decrease the volume of solid waste going to landfill by 70 % by 2014. Reducing waste to landfill has a large impact on reducing the emissions released through the anaerobic breakdown of waste and reduces the contamination of groundwater through leachates. CSU Managers can keep track of good waste management in their workplaces and bring to the attention any poor practices to their staff or CSU Green.
  • Sustainable purchasing – CSU Managers can increase workplace sustainability by considering sustainable purchasing. Considerations given to the lifecycle costing of a product is a good way to choose products for procurement or purchasing. Some general assessments can be made before choosing to purchase a product such as: resource extraction; manufacturing; transportation; packaging; and disposal. There are a number of issues surrounding each of these including environmental degradation, working conditions for employees, carbon emissions and pollution through disposal. CSU is working towards engaging all staff on sustainable purchasing and procurement practices through policy changes, which are forthcoming. Purchasing through COSnet can be beneficial as the company offers a number of more sustainable stationery options and environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals.
  • Dressing for weather conditions – heating and cooling in the workplace often in the largest contributor to an organisation's energy bill and therefore carbon emissions. CSU Managers can influence staff to dress appropriately for the weather.