The UH Charter of Sustainability

The UH Charter of Sustainability is a set of principles, policies and practices currently being developed by faculty, staff, students and community representatives to guide the University of Hawaii on its path to a sustainable future.

The idea for the document originated out of two innovative strategic planning processes conducted by the UH Office of the President and UH Manoa Office of the Chancellor in early 2002. In these comprehensive, day-long brainstorming sessions, well over 1,000 faculty members, administrators and students, along with individuals from the community, business, governmental and educational sectors, shared their hopes and examined the challenges to implementing their vision of the best possible future for the University of Hawaii.

The assembled participants in the sustainability discussion group developed 12 major topic areas for the Charter, and committees were formed shortly afterward to address specific problems and solutions in each of those topic areas. To date, approximately 200 people have participated as committee members. A first draft of the UH Charter of Sustainability, which was coordinated by the UH Office of Sustainability and is the product of these committee members’ dedication and hard work, is available for public review.