Purpose and Scope

GITAM (Deemed to be University) aims to address the challenges of climate change and adapt it in systems. Various measures are being implemented over few decades, aiming at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to the impacts of climate change, and fostering sustainability. GITAM Commitment towards the Policy had yielded better results towards Sustainability.
The primary objectives in line with UN SDGs include :

• Mitigating Climate Change
• Adapting to Climate Change
• Promoting Sustainability
• Protecting the Environment and Biodiversity
• Enhancing Energy Security
• Health and Social Benefits
• Fostering Innovation and Economic Opportunities
• Global Leadership and Collaboration
• Sustainable practices in purchase of Goods/Items

Policy Statement and Objectives

GITAM (Deemed to be University) is committed to addressing climate change and reducing the environmental impact as part of its Vision and Mission. GITAM’s Climate Action Policy aims at the following :

• Carbon Neutrality Commitment
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Green Building Standards implementation
• Transition to renewable energy sources
• Improve energy efficiency and conservation
• Promote sustainable transportation
• Reduce waste and prioritize recycling
• Implement sustainable procurement practices
• Enhance climate resilience and adaptation
• Raise environmental awareness and education
• Promote sustainable practices in purchase of Goods/Items
• Foster collaborations for collective impact
• Monitor progress and pursue continuous improvement

Guiding Principles

Guiding Principles for GITAMs Climate Action Policy :

• Environmental Responsibility : committed to reducing environmental impact and mitigating climate change through responsible actions.
• Sustainability : GITAM prioritize sustainable practices that consider the long-term well-being of the planet, society, and future generations.
• Ambitious Goals : GITAM set clear and ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable initiatives.
• Innovation : GITAM embrace innovative solutions and technologies to enhance climate action efforts.
• Transparency : GITAM maintain transparency in climate actions, sharing progress and challenges with stakeholders.
• Collaboration : GITAM collaborate with stakeholders and communities to foster collective action for a sustainable future.
• Resilience : GITAM strive to build resilience to climate change impacts, protecting our operations and stakeholders.
• Continuous Improvement : GITAM continuously learn and improve climate action strategies for better outcomes.
• Global Impact : GITAM recognize role in global efforts to combat climate change and support international cooperation.

Definitions

• Climate Change

  Climate change refers to long-term alterations in Earth's climate patterns, including variations in temperature, precipitation, and wind patterns. It is primarily driven by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, leading to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

• Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)

  Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming. Common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases.

• Carbon Footprint

  The carbon footprint is a measure of the total greenhouse gas emissions, mainly carbon dioxide, produced directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, product, or activity. It quantifies the environmental impact in terms of CO2 equivalent emissions.

• Renewable Energy

  Renewable energy refers to energy derived from natural resources that are continually replenished, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass. Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy sources have minimal greenhouse gas emissions and reduce reliance on finite resources.

• Energy Efficiency

  Energy efficiency refers to the process of using less energy to accomplish the same tasks, achieving the same output while minimizing energy waste. Implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices helps reduce energy consumption and associated emissions.

• Sustainable Development

  Sustainable development is an approach that balances economic, social, and environmental concerns to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It seeks to promote long-term well-being while safeguarding natural resources and ecosystems.

• Carbon Neutral or Climate Neutral

  Being carbon neutral means achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases emitted and the amount removed or offset from the atmosphere. Organizations or individuals can become carbon neutral by reducing their emissions and investing in projects that absorb or offset an equivalent amount of CO2.

• Climate Resilience

  Climate resilience is the ability of a system, community, or organization to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate- related hazards and disturbances.

• Sustainable Procurement

  Sustainable procurement, also known as green or eco-friendly procurement, involves considering environmental and social criteria when purchasing goods and services. It aims to support sustainable practices throughout the supply chain.

• Climate Adaptation

  Climate adaptation refers to adjusting and modifying practices, systems, and structures to cope with the impacts of climate change and increase resilience to future changes.

These definitions provide a foundational understanding of key terms related to climate action and sustainability.

Procedure

GITAM’s Procedure adopted towards Climate Action Policy is as follows :

Roles and Responsibilities for Implementing the Climate Action Policy

1. Management
   • Role : Provide overall leadership and support for the Climate Action Policy.
   • Responsibilities : Approve the policy, allocate necessary resources, and ensure organizational alignment with climate goals.
2. Departments and Divisions
   • Role : Collaborate to implement specific initiatives related to their functions including Manpower, Finance, Budget Allocation and other related activities
   • Responsibilities : Execute plans aiming at the overall climate objectives, Ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and safety standards, Promoting Climate change awareness, Collaborate and support sustainable initiatives, Engage with local communities to foster sustainable practices through stakeholders, Participate in community outreach, educational programs, and environmental projects.
3. Reporting and Monitoring
   • Monitoring in a Climate Action Policy is a critical component that involves regular assessment and evaluation of the policy's progress, effectiveness, and impact.
   • Monitoring allows organizations to track their climate action initiatives, identify areas of improvement, and ensure that they stay on track to achieve their climate goals.
   • GITAM Team continuously monitors the policy and plans activities to further strengthen the policy in line United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on a regular basis.
   • The measured parameters are reported to the Management on yearly basis prior submission to Ranking agencies.
   • GITAM monitor its progress globally through participation in various rankings namely
     Times Higher Education Impact Rankings since 2020
     UI Green metric World University Rankings since 2018

Evidence of Success

Submitted by :
Directorate of Accreditation & Ranking
GITAM, Visakhapatnam www.gitam.edu

GITAM commitment towards sustainable procurement

The Climate Action Policy encompasses the Sustainable practices for Procurement of Goods/Equipment. GITAM committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Sustainable Procurement ensures that purchasing practices align with commitment to a greener future.

1. Eco-friendly Products/ Reduction of Paper Usage

   GITAM prioritize products with minimal environmental impact throughout their life cycle. GITAM reuses the Paper products and thereby reduce the paper consumption. In addition, most of the systems are now made online like e-filing, automated online processing of leaves, pay slips, G-Suite for Communication etc., has clearly resulted in reduction of Paper in the organization.

   
2. Energy Efficiency

   We select energy-efficient products to reduce our carbon footprint. The campus lighting use LEDs, Five Star rating Appliances, Solar Roof Top Hot Water Plants, Solar Power Generation, Centralized Energy Management System, Capacitive Banks to improve Impact factor. These measures had resulted in improving the efficacy of power usage and commitment towards Sustainability.

3. Waste Reduction

   We opt for products with minimal packaging and those that are easily recyclable. The Waste segregated in terms of solid, liquid and bio waste are disposed with predefined process with help of vendors certified by the Govt. bodies. The wastewater is recycled and reused for watering plantations. The Taps are fitted with state of art devices to reduce water.

4. Usage

   The solid waste is disposed to local vendors for compost preparation. The Bio waste/Hazardous was disposed through Maridi Bio-waste Management organization thereby maintaining best practices towards Sustainability.

5. Innovation and Research

   We promote sustainable innovations and eco-friendly technologies. The Venture Development Center (VDC) in GITAM strives to innovate products that results in building sustainable practices ecosystem. More details are made available at https://vdc.gitam.edu. The VDC has bagged awards internationally for its innovative products by the students of GITAM. One such product is HydroGravitricity.
   URL : Click here

6. Monitoring and Improvement

   We regularly review and improve our sustainable procurement efforts. The parameters are measured in terms of the requirements of Ranking Agencies we participate and efforts are being made on regular basis to improve them for better sustainable practices.

   By following this Sustainable Procurement, we contribute to a more sustainable world while meeting our organizational needs that is evident in terms of Audits/ Ranking exercise in THE/UI Green metric Rankings.

7. URL
   • Sustainable Development - Click here
   • UI Green Metric - Click here
   • THE IMPACT Rankings - Click here

Submitted by :
Directorate of Accreditation & Ranking
GITAM, Visakhapatnam www.gitam.edu

For More information, reach us at email : vsp_ar@gitam.edu