The ETSII-UPM case.
From 2011, a distinctive project was developed at our institution and it was called “Sustainability Antennas”. This project was framed within the implementation of the strategic management of social responsibility. Three different groups of volunteering people representing each internal stakeholder (student, staff, faculty, and researcher) from all the areas, departments, and services, meet twice a year to discuss the main actions to improve the impact of the School in the social and environmental context.
Their main objective is boosting sustainability in the main areas of the Center: teaching, research, management, and outreach. These groups act as a link between the management team and the rest of organization’s members, giving their point of view, identifying weak points, discovering opportunities, and influencing in the decision-making process, related with sustainability.
When in 2015 the SDGs were established, an opportunity to contribute was perceived. The actual project of sustainability antennas is the awareness of the university community encouraging them to achieve a better world through the SDGs. So an activity named “one SDG at a month” has been started.
Each month dedicated to one SDG the school develops information related to the consecution of the SDG selected. Then, some interviews with people whose work could contribute to achieving different SDGs goals were developed. Researchers and faculty members, which research work and technology transmission to society could face the societal problems; faculty who incorporate SDGs into their subjects; staff members whose activities are aligned with sustainability or students who organize activities to promote a better world, share their experiences with the rest of the university community. These interviews are published both in the newsletter and on the Center web page.
Besides that, activities to provoke emotions and feelings about the achievement of the SDG were carried out. Every contribution, both individual and institutional, is important. And participating in these activities makes people identify how they can contribute to achieving the world dreamed by the ones who believe in the consecution of 2030 agenda. The ultimate goal is to inspire everyone to align their talent and skills with the achievement of SDG.