University-wide procedure for evaluating KTH’s environmental performance

PROCEDURE
Policymaker: Sustainability Manager
Valid from: 29 March 2019
Amended as of: 2 January 2023
Registration number: V-2023-0004-13
Responsible for review and queries: KTH Sustainability Office

1. Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to describe how KTH Royal Institute of Technology is to monitor, measure, analyse and evaluate its environmental performance using indicators.

2. Scope/delimitation

The procedure covers the operational processes covered by the environmental management system.

3. Definitions

Indicator

Measurable representation of the state or status of operation, management or conditions.

Monitoring

Determining the status of a system, process or activity.

Measurement

Of process to determine a value.

Performance

Measurable result. Performance may refer to quantitative or qualitative observations. Performance may refer to management of activities, processes, products (including services), systems or organisations.

Environmental performance

Performance regarding the management of environmental aspects. Performance is measured against the organisation’s environmental policy, environmental goals or other criteria using indicators.

OS

Operational Support

4. Responsibilities

• The President holds general responsibility for ensuring that the environmental performance of KTH’s sustainability and climate goals and environmental management system is monitored and evaluated using indicators.

• The Sustainability Manager is responsible for implementation of the monitoring and evaluation of KTH’s sustainability and climate goals and environmental management system using indicators.

• The Sustainability Manager is responsible for compiling reports and documentation on KTH’s environmental performance on the basis of the requirements and expectations of various internal and external stakeholders.

• Heads of school and the head of OS are responsible for ensuring that the sustainability and climate goals and the environmental management system are monitored and evaluated using indicators within their areas of responsibility.

• Heads of school are responsible for monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation linked with school-specific conditions.

• Functions responsible for specific conditions, indicators and statistics are responsible for reporting data as agreed.

5. Implementation

KTH’s environmental performance is evaluated by means of indicators, metrics and statistics to support efforts to monitor and evaluate:

• KTH’s environmental aspects
• operational processes related to the significant environmental aspects
• compliance with binding requirements
• effectiveness of the environmental management system:
• compliance with the sustainability policy, and
• objective attainment regarding KTH’s sustainability and climate objectives

The results from the environmental performance evaluation are used as a basis for decisions and form a foundation for the management review. Further requirements for monitoring, measurement and follow-up can be found in binding requirements. Otherwise, monitoring and measurement are described in the general environmental management procedures available for the above items.

KTH communicates and reports information relevant both internally and externally regarding environmental performance. This takes place in line with the communication processes that are available for sustainable development and what is required and expected according to binding requirements. KTH maintains appropriate documented information digitally, showing the results of monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation.

5.1 Reporting

The Sustainability Manager is responsible for ensuring that KTH’s environmental management work is reported annually to the Government Offices of Sweden (Ministry of Education) and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with the Regulation on environmental management in government agencies (2009:907). A report is submitted to the Swedish Transport Agency according to the Regulation on environmental and road safety requirements for public authorities’ vehicles (2009:1).

The Sustainability Manager is responsible for ensuring that KTH prepares an annual sustainability report against the UN’s sustainable development goals and reports on its environmental and sustainability work internally and externally. The Sustainability Manager is responsible for reporting on environmental and sustainability work to the University Board.

5.2 Monitoring of licences

People responsible for licences are responsible for compliance with licence requirements. Environmental, work environment, fire and emergency licence are listed in Legal Monitoring and are followed up by evaluation of legal compliance, annual legal audit by KTH Central/OS and schools.

5.3 Summary of indicators, metrics, statistics and reports in the field of environment and sustainable development

The KTH Sustainability Office has a summary of indicators used in the environmental management system and when they have to be reported, to whom and the functions responsible for the indicators. The summary is reviewed annually in connection with annual reports, or as needed.

6. Documentation

• Report to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

• Minutes of the management review, KTH management, OS management group and schools.

• Monitoring of KTH’s sustainability and climate goals and action plan.

• Mapping and monitoring of operational processes.

7. Appendices

No appendices.

8. Change log