AYY takes part in the European Sustainable Development Week

This week (30 May–5 Jun 2019) is the European Sustainable Development Week. The ESDW is a Europe-wide annual initiative to increase awareness of the UN’s Agenda 2030 action plan and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) included in it. The themed week aims to promote and highlight various sustainable development projects that are ongoing in Europe. In 2018, the European Sustainable Development Week featured more than 6000 events organised in more than 30 countries. This is already Finland’s fourth time taking part in this annual initiative. Examples of events organised in Finland this year include, among others, Sitra’s World Circular Economy Forum and the World Summit of Students for Climate organised in Joensuu.

In Finland, the UN’s Agenda 2030 action plan is being implemented for example through the Society’s Commitment to sustainable development and the vision of this commitment is a globally responsible and affluent Finland that simultaneously safeguards nature’s carrying capacity. In honour of the European Sustainable Development Week, AYY has signed the SDG Accord intended for universities, student unions and other academic institutions. The Sustainable Development Accord is a tailor-made version for educational institutes of the Agenda 2030 action plan as well as of the Finland’s Society’s Commitment, and its goal is to highlight the critical role of education and higher education institutes in attaining the sustainable development goals. The SDG Accord commits AYY to promote the sustainable development goals both in its own and in its stakeholders’ operations.

Sustainability in the Aalto community

Aalto University Student Union wants to take part in creating an ecologically sustainable and socially just Finland and world, which enable good and reasonable life also for future student generations. Sustainability is reflected in AYY’s core values as well as in the strategy that defines the direction of the Student Union for 2019–2020. In accordance with its policy, AYY acts as a role model in environmental questions and challenges the University and other stakeholders to take environmental aspects into account in their operations.

The promotion of ecological sustainability has become a central theme this year. In the future, sustainability will be an integrative part of all AYY’s operations with the goal of being a Student Union whose ambitious sustainability goals are highlighted by environmental values, while not forgetting the social and economic dimensions of sustainability. Ideally, sustainable development will become an established part of all AYY’s operations – from services and advocacy work all the way to the everyday life of Aalto people. The progress of the goals will be measured and their implementation assessed annually in the future. Through the SDG Accord, AYY promotes all 17 goals in its operations, with special emphasis on quality education (SDG4), sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), climate action (SDG13) and partnerships (SDG17).

Do you have an idea or point of view on what pioneering in environmental questions could mean at AYY? Send your ideas to board member Ellen Heikkilä [email protected]