Group 2: UCLA Anderson Sustainability Strategy

Organization

As an institution, UCLA is a leader in sustainability with 25+ research centers dedicated to advancing technology and training in the subject. UCLA Sustainability is a hub for such research and its eleven initiatives dedicated to progress in sustainability goals: Education and Research, Biodiversity, Buildings & Landscaping, Climate & Energy, Community Engagement, Food Systems, Health & Recreation, Purchasing, Transportation, Water, and Zero Waste. 

Sustainability Stakeholders

While the parent institution is making strides toward progress in sustainability awareness, research, and action, UCLA Anderson has not made this a priority in some time. With the ground broken on the new Marion Anderson Hall, which is teetering between LEED-Gold and -Platinum certification, UCLA Anderson stakeholders are interested in making sustainability at the business school a priority and increasing its alignment with UCLA Sustainability. 

The team from the Business & The Environment course reached out to UCLA Anderson key stakeholder Jami Jesek, Associate Dean/COO, and her colleague Howard Titzel, Director of Building Services. Jesek and her team reactivated a UCLA Anderson Sustainability Task Force over the course of the last few months, engaging other key players to move the sustainability strategy forward. Jesek requested recommendations for “low-hanging fruit” that would require fewer resources and provide higher impact. She suggested the team work with a group of first-year students dedicated to the Anderson sustainability initiative, led by Chloe Kim (‘19). 

Project Scope

The purpose of this report is to provide the UCLA Anderson Sustainability Strategy for the student-led Sustainability Task Force to initiate recommendations that are “easy-to-win” in a timeline of the next calendar year. Given the dedication observed by UCLA Anderson administration, current students, and support by faculty and UCLA Chief Sustainability Officer Nurit Katz, these recommendations can be implemented in the timeline identified. Each recommendation, targeting Transportation, Purchasing, and Zero Waste, will delve into how UCLA Sustainability is currently addressing the issue, how UCLA Anderson is or is not addressing the issue, and the team recommendations. The report will also provide a plan for implementation.

Recommendations

While recommendations can cover many of UCLA Sustainability’s eleven initiatives, the team identified three initiatives with opportunities for the student task force to implement in the upcoming 2018-2019 academic year:

UCLA Anderson Sustainability Strategy Recommendations