SDGs & Sustainability Initiatives
Contribution to the SDGs
Sophia University has established the office of Sophia Sustainability Promotion to promote the fulfillment of Social Responsibility, in which students also participate as “student staff.”
Student staff are actively involved in public relations, information gathering, and institutional design, and engage in a variety of activities by utilizing their perspectives, ideas, and creativity.
Through these activities, students, faculty, and staff exchange ideas across disciplines regarding research, education, and social initiatives that contribute to the SDGs, as well as endeavors to promote diversity and realize a symbiotic society. The aim is to create new value from these ideas.
Student Staff Activities
- Communications Team
Disseminating initiatives related to the promotion of sustainability
We are working to more proactively disseminate information on the University’s educational and research activities and results, as well as student extracurricular activities, by summarizing the content and results in relation to sustainability promotion.
- Creation of publicity materials (SDG Report)
- Development and updating of a website consolidating information on sustainability promotion
- Establishment and operation of the official SNS
- Interviewing student organizations that aim to solve social issues and disseminating details of their activities
- Campus Team
Efforts to improve the campus environment by students’ perspectives
We will increase sustainable options and create an inclusive campus where everyone can feel safe and comfortable.
- Survey to understand current issues
- Universal design of information signs
- Initiatives to reduce environmental impact
- Activities to promote and raise awareness of the SDGs
- Planning Team
Actively planning and developing events related to sustainability promotion
Through the provision of learning opportunities for students, faculty and staff, we aim to raise the level of understanding and penetration of sustainability promotion throughout the University. In addition, we will take action to drive sustainability not only within the University, but also in industry-government-academia collaborations and regional cooperation.
- Conducting training sessions to deepen understanding of the concept and philosophy of the SDGs
- Collaboration with businesses and organizations
- Holding regional collaboration projects in cooperation with local governments
For other initiatives, please visit the Sophia University SDGs & Sustainability website.
The United Nations and Sophia SDGs – A Historic Initiative
UN Global Compact Activities
The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is an initiative proposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1999 and officially launched at UN Headquarters in New York on July 26, 2000. It is a global framework for various organizations, especially corporations, to act as good members of society and achieve sustainable growth by exercising responsible and creative leadership.
Currently, more than 13,800 companies and organizations in 161 countries have signed the UNGC and are developing activities based on the 10 principles in the four areas of “human rights,” “labor,” “environment,” and “anti-corruption,” and implementing various measures to achieve the SDGs. Sophia University signed the UNGC in May 2015 and is a member of the Global Compact Network Japan (GCNJ), a local network in Japan. Among other things, we co-host with GCNJ and continue to hold numerous symposiums in cooperation with member companies and UN agencies during UN Weeks.
Participation in SDG–UP; SDG Universities Platform
United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Studies of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) has established SDG–UP; SDG Universities Platform in 2020 as a place where Japanese universities that are willing to actively work toward achieving the SDGs can collaborate. Sophia University is a member.
Signature of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
In November 2015, Sophia School Corporation signed the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The PRI is a set of principles that advocates institutional investors and others to incorporate environmental, social, and corporate governance issues into their investment decisions with the aim of realizing a sustainable society. Signing the PRI incorporates an investment policy consistent with Sophia University’s founding principles and puts into practice the principles of the United Nations Global Compact, in terms of asset management.
As a school corporation operating an educational and research institution, we will continue to contribute to solving various issues facing global society through ESG investment as a responsible asset owner.