Mohawk College is the first North American college to be awarded Responsible Futures Accreditation

Mohawk College is the first North American college to be awarded awarded Responsible Futures Accreditation by SOS-UK and the International Association of Universities following a two day audit in October, 2024 led by 10 Mohawk students.

This accreditation, awarded by students, recognises the institution's commitment to embedding sustainability in all teaching and learning.  

Students were particularly impressed by the College’s strong collaboration between students, faculty, administration and senior leadership and believe they have a “strong foundation for long-term success.”  One student auditor was particularly impressed by how the Responsible Futures planning team "all move as one team, with everyone supporting and standing for sustainability. It takes a lot to make it a reality, but they’ve made it happen. This effort will be passed on to future students, ensuring its lasting impact.”

"Student engagement is getting deeper. Through a range of initiatives including Responsible Futures, we're starting to build a community of students who want to be in a leadership role in this." – Allison Maxted, Sustainability Manager, Mohawk College

“Mohawk College is committed to sustainability in all areas of our campus life. We are proud to be the first in North America to receive this accreditation and to lead in sustainability education globally. We will continue to work alongside our students and the Mohawk Students’ Association to build a sustainable future.” - Paul Armstrong, President, Mohawk College

"Congratulations to Mohawk College and the Mohawk Students’ Association on this fantastic achievement. This commitment to empowering students to build a sustainable and just world is an inspiration.” - Quinn Runkle, Director of Education, Students Organising for Sustainability

The future

Going forward, students recommend developing more mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the impact of sustianaility work on staff and students, and to increase communications about the high level of sustainability activity taking place for both staff and students.
 

This accreditation marks a significant milestone, but the journey does not end here. Through valuable feedback captured through the audit, SOS-UK will continue to work with Mohawk College, Mohawk Students’ Association and their students to further develop a learning environment that equips both students and staff with knowledge and skills to shape a more sustainable world.  
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For more information on the Responsible Futures framework, visit the programme website. To learn more about sustainability efforts at Mohawk College please visit the College's sustainability website.