TORONTO, April 18, 2023 – York University's outstanding progress in sustainability earns it the distinction of being one of Canada's Greenest Employers for the 11th consecutive year.

Canada’s Greenest Employers 2023 competition recognizes organizations that lead the country in creating a culture of environmental awareness and sustainability, a feat York University has not only embraced, but is committed to as one of its core values. The winners are chosen annually by Mediacorp Canada Inc.

“This recognition shows that York continues to be a world leader in the field of sustainability through its ongoing efforts to ramp up its impact through new and existing initiatives and strengthening its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," says Carol McAulay, vice-president finance and administration. "York has incorporated its sustainability values into every area of the University and is committed to reducing its carbon emissions to meet our international obligations. Building a more sustainable institution – in our buildings, research, teaching and community – will benefit York, its surrounding communities, the country and ultimately the world."

As part of its commitment to sustainability and progressive change, York welcomed Mike Layton, a champion of climate action and equity, to its newly created role of chief sustainability officer to lead the institution's green initiatives and strengthen its impact.

The editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers select which organizations will be named Canada’s Greenest Employers annually based on the development of unique environmental initiatives and programs, their success rate in reducing the organization's own environmental footprint and in engaging employees in these environmental efforts. They also look at how closely the institution’s public identity is linked to these sustainable initiatives, and their ability to attract new employees and clients as a result.

Additional York sustainability highlights:

• York's Ecological Footprint Initiative will launch the 2022 National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts with national and global data from 1961 to 2022 later this week.

• Its "ZeroWaste" program diverts 70 per cent of waste from landfill sites, including household recyclables, batteries, e-waste and appliances. As a part of this program, York developed a green cleaning program that is now a recognized benchmark for institutional cleaning.

• With the adoption of environmental principles, York encourages design efficiency, broader use of daylighting, water efficiency, energy conservation and performance, reduction in emissions, materials and resources, green construction practices, indoor environmental quality and site re-naturalization.

• Through it's 400-acres Las Nubes Forest Reserve in Costa Rica, York's Eco-Campus is dedicated to teaching and researching neotropical conservation, eco-health, community well-being and sustainable livelihoods.

• As a testament to York’s commitment to sustainability, it ranked 33rd in the world for the Times Higher Education 2022 Impact Rankings, which assesses the University's global performance of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These global rankings look at how well 1,406 universities from 106 countries/regions are accomplishing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.