Environmental Practices
Environmental Practices
As a force for good, our mission includes raising our students’ awareness of important issues that jointly impact both public health and the environment. By providing education that illuminates these intersections among human, animal and environmental health, we expand our collective understanding of global challenges.
A vital component of our environmental sustainability strategy is the mitigation of our environmental impact across our facilities and institutions. To accomplish this, we work toward our three strategic, multiyear goals launched in fiscal year 2020 that drive efficient operations, resource use and waste management. These goals address a set of environmental issues that are important to Adtalem, including our impact on climate change and our effect on natural resources. View our Sustainability Report for metrics and details.
We are committed to diverting landfill waste by implementing circular waste management practices, including recycling and reusing items when possible and solidifying strong environmental partnerships to problem-solve and enhance efficiency. We maintain waste management systems that encourage students, colleagues and faculty to properly dispose of recyclable waste and reuse furnishings and equipment when possible. During the year, this included working with a third party to find a second life for over 5,800 electronic items, avoiding approximately 36,600 pounds of additional e-waste. Through this partnership, we also successfully recycled 39,763 pounds of technological materials and equipment.
Consistent with our One Health approach, we recognize that human healthcare access and equity are intrinsically linked with environmental issues such as natural disasters. In fiscal year 2023, AUC completed a GenderDisaster Assessment with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to assess the impact of hurricanes on vulnerable groups in Sint Maarten.
Additionally, the RUSVM Disaster Research Working Group (DRWG) convenes community members from across the Caribbean region, as well as from the U.S., Canada and other international organizations, to address common needs and develop shared protocols. The group is working to elevate regional and global understanding and capacity to prepare for, and respond to, disasters.
At Adtalem, we value all life. This is exemplified by our collaborative, cross-functional One Health approach among leaders in veterinary medicine, human medicine and the environment to address critical issues facing our collective health. Globally, our professionals collaborate, teach and learn to provide expertise across a wide range of subjects and deliver the insight necessary to drive holistic problem-solving as they address highly complex issues, such as natural disaster management, the spread of infectious disease across species and food security. See our Sustainability Report for details.
Per our U.S. Supplier Code of Conduct, we expect our third party partners to use environmentally responsible practices and production methods that meet well-established certification standards. Our supplier policies can be viewed here.
As an incentive to use public transportation, Adtalem full-time colleagues are eligible for a benefit program where they are allowed to save pre-tax dollars to offset the cost of subway, commuter train, ferry, and carpool transit.