Governance and strategies

Vision for sustainability

Charles Darwin University (CDU) is committed to contributing to a sustainable world. CDU has the vision to achieve local, regional and international recognition as a true champion of sustainability by 2025 and intends to create a brighter future by championing the three pillars of sustainability – Environment, Society and Economy.

CDU will become a celebrated innovator in sustainability education, research and community engagement – leading the way in:

• addressing the non-sustainable impacts of human activity on our environment
• inspiring positive outcomes for people, communities and society
• promoting environmentally and socially responsible business practice and governance.

Commitment to sustainability

CDU is committed to:

• examining all aspects of our operations to identify where and how we can make changes to minimise our impact on the environment
• empowering our staff and students to contribute to a sustainable future
• engaging with local, regional and international communities and organisations around sustainability initiatives
• contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

To achieve our Vision and meet our commitment to sustainability, we have:

• developed a Sustainability Plan and CDU Sustainability Policy to guide how we operate – to set a vision, goals and targets for CDU to achieve by 2025 – both are currently being reviewed to ensure they align with CDU’s new strategic plan 
• developed the CDU Sustainability Policy
• established a Sustainability Leadership Group to oversee implementation of the CDU Sustainability Plan and monitor progress towards achieving our goals and targets
• become a University signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For more information on this commitment made by Universities in Australia, New Zealand and Pacific, please see here.