Sustainable Development Goals
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Our Commitment Strategy
"Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires a clear and deliberate approach across all levels of the institution. The commitment strategies outlined below serve as a roadmap to systematically embed the SDGs into the university’s core functions. These strategies ensure that policies, teaching, research, and community efforts are aligned with global development priorities. By having concrete mechanisms in place, the university can effectively contribute to sustainable development while fostering accountability, coherence, and measurable progress.
This approach places the university within the wider effort to address global challenges. Integrating the SDGs into daily operations grounds its work in something more than internal policy — it becomes part of how the institution thinks, teaches, and responds to the world. Students, researchers, and staff are given a framework that demands practical relevance."
- President Dean
Strategic Integration
SDGs are embedded in the university’s planning, governance, and policy structures.
Policy and Compliance
Institutional policies are aligned with SDG targets and regularly reviewed.
Culture
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Lifestyle
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Sustainability Metrics
Local Context
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Aerial view of the Dumaguete coast
Each goal is supported by specific targets and measurable indicators — 169 targets in total — designed to guide policy, funding, and institutional action across varying sectors and disciplines.
For Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), this means compliance with a sustainable development target, embedding standards of green and eco-friendly sanctions in the university’s operations. Transforming abstract global goals into concrete institutional responsibilities must be disseminated to the student body through active instruction and participation, ensuring that sustainability practices are not confined to administrative policies
The SDGs emphasize a holistic approach: recognizing the interdependence of ecological systems, human well-being, and institutional accountability. They apply to all countries, regardless of development status, and require coordinated efforts from governments, civil society, the private sector, and academic institutions. As both a moral and practical blueprint, the SDGs promote inclusive and data-informed development, and serve as the global benchmark for sustainability reporting and program alignment through the year 2030.
Foundation University implements its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals through structured, policy-driven mechanisms embedded across its many functions. The integration is systematic, guided by institutional frameworks that align planning and extension
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UN MISSION ST ATEMENT
The Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) acts as the Secretariat for the SDGs, providing substantive support and capacity-building for the goals and their related thematic issues, including water, energy, climate, oceans, urbanization, transport, science and technology, the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR), partnerships and Small Island Developing States. DSDG plays a key role in the evaluation of UN systemwide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and on advocacy and outreach activities relating to the SDGs.
Campus Footprint & Operational Trends pools the figures on key environmental measures. We bring together scattered data points to make a coherent picture of the campus' health, and gain a clear sense of how seasonal weather, nearby land use or new installations affect air purity and water safety inside Foundation University. The section lays out our core indicators in one place, making it easy for staff, students and partners to see where we stand.
A spike in fine particles might come from field burning in the Valencia hills or a sudden rise in vehicle traffic. A dip in potable‐water compliance could point to aging pipes or a filter change that ran off schedule. In monitoring data shifts and watching trends over weeks and months, we catch problems early, so fixes can arise.
In the middle of the FU Green, we installed a sensitive air monitoring system to better track the air within the campus.
Highlights from the Research Data
Research
Research covers studies, data collection and scholarship efforts that advance knowledge on sustainability topics. Faculty-led investigations into watershed health, carbon-sequestration models or behavioral drivers of energy conservation all belong here. Graduate theses exploring life-cycle assessments of campus buildings or surveys measuring student climate attitudes count as research outputs. MOAs with research institutes, government agencies or industry partners often formalize resource-sharing — access to laboratory space, joint funding proposals or data-exchange agreements.
The goal of the Research thrust is to generate evidence that informs policy and practice. Findings from these studies feed directly into campus operations, for instance, a soil-analysis report might guide landscaping choices, while a cost-benefit analysis of solar panels could support a new installation. Research projects also contribute to academic literature, raising the university’s profile in sustainability networks. By publishing articles, presenting at conferences and hosting symposia, the university shapes broader conversations and attracts collaborators for future investigations.
18 Sustainability-Focused Projects
Includes faculty-led and student-assisted research. Topics cover resource use, environment, and social impact. Records are updated by the research office.
24% Output on Environment Publications
Estimated proportion of published or presented work falling under related themes. Based on internal tracking and department submissions. Subject to periodic reclassification.
8 Grants Aligned with SDGs
Covers internal and external funding received for related studies. Grant sizes and timelines vary. Documentation is managed through research administration.
3 Ongoing Multi-Year Studies
Involves long-term work on sustainability-related questions. Projects differ in scope and methodology. Review schedules depend on funding cycles.
Highlights from the Practice Data
Practice
Practice thrust focuses on implementing sustainable operations across campus and beyond. This includes energy-efficiency upgrades, water-conservation systems, zero-waste procurement policies and green procurement guidelines. Projects may start with an MOA between the university’s facilities office and an equipment vendor to install LED lighting throughout classrooms or upgrade to smart meters in residence halls. Practice also covers curricular integration of sustainability into hands-on training such as using compost collected from cafeterias in the campus farm or running lifecycle simulations in engineering labs.
Practice initiatives serve as living labs where theoretical research meets real-world application. Staff and students monitor outcomes by tracking utility bills, waste-diversion rates or biodiversity metrics, and work to refine methods to document return on investment. Successful pilots scale up into larger adoption: a trial rainwater-harvesting system in one building may expand to multiple rooftops after demonstrating cost savings. By embedding sustainability into everyday operations, practice thrust projects turn the campus into a model for other institutions and businesses seeking practical solutions.
17,530 Hours
Total hours saved through process adjustments and operational changes. This figure reflects accumulated efficiencies across different units. It is subject to change as systems are updated.
P20,000 Saved Per Month
Total hours saved through process adjustments and operational changes. This figure reflects accumulated efficiencies across different units. It is subject to change as systems are updated.Estimated monthly savings based on current energy and utility data. This number may vary depending on seasonal and operational shifts. Tracking is ongoing to reflect updated figures.
3,120 Metric Tons Recycled
Cumulative weight of materials processed through recycling efforts. Includes paper, plastic, metal, and other recoverable waste. Data collection continues as part of regular reporting.
5.6 Years Being Carbon Neutral
Length of time since the university began offsetting its carbon footprint. Calculations are based on energy use, emissions, and offset strategies. The figure is reviewed annually for accuracy.
Highlights from the Community Data
Practice
The community thrust covers initiatives that engage students, faculty, staff and local stakeholders in sustainability efforts. Projects under this category include outreach programs, awareness campaigns and partnerships that address environmental and social needs in nearby neighborhoods. For example, a clean-up drive organized with barangay officials or a waste-segregation workshop for adjacent villages both fall under community. Memoranda of agreement with local government units or NGOs typically specify shared goals such as reducing plastic waste or improving public green spaces. Community initiatives strengthen ties between the university and its surroundings, build practical skills for participants and generate measurable impacts on local well-being.
Beyond one-off events, community also embraces ongoing collaborations. Service-learning courses that send students into public schools to teach recycling practices, or urban gardening projects co-managed with residents, illustrate sustained engagement. Through formal partnerships—documented in MOAs—the university provides expertise, manpower and resources while partners contribute local insight and logistical support. By centering people’s voices and lived experiences, community thrust projects create a two-way exchange: the university learns from the community, and the community gains tools to maintain its own progress.
120 Engagements Logged
Total hours saved through process adjustments and operational changes. This figure reflects accumulated efficiencies across different units. It is subject to change as systems are updated.
40 Local Partnerships
Represents collaborations with schools, groups, and government units. Focus areas range from education to environmental action. Some partnerships are project-based.
5,000 Approx. Collaborators
Figure includes estimated counts from direct and indirect participants. Based on activity documentation and partner inputs. Totals are periodically reviewed.
6 Regional Events Hosted
Involves forums, conferences, and public programs. Themes are linked to sustainability or civic topics. Event scope varies by year.
Long before we formally aligned our sustainability strategy with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Foundation University had already demonstrated an earnest commitment to environmental protection. As early as 2013, the school claimed three special awards in the National Search for Most Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools, including the Meralco Energy Leadership Award, recognizing its water‑management system and energy‑conservation practices within the campus.
2013 DENR Search for Most Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools - National Finalist
2013 DENR Search for Most Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools - Regional Champion
2015 DENR Search for Most Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools - National Champion
The following year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources singled out FU for its solid‑waste management advocacy and partnerships with five local government units on recycling projects, biomechanical composting and electronic‑waste reuse. In 2015, the university would go on to win the DENR’s national Sustainable and Eco‑Friendly Schools program, cementing its reputation as a leader in campus‑wide green initiatives. By that point, pilot waste‑reduction schemes had already transitioned into institution‑wide policies, and energy audits were standard practice in some departments. These foundational steps predated any formal SDG commitment, yet they laid the groundwork for every policy and project that would follow.
A driving force behind these early gains was President Victor Vicente “Dean” Sinco. Trained as an architect and seasoned as an entrepreneur, he set a five‑year roadmap toward zero‑footprint energy consumption, securing investment for rooftop solar and backing community‑scale renewables. Under his guidance, cost‑benefit analyses convinced stakeholders that phased solar‑panel financing could reduce net energy expenses by roughly one‑third, turning what once seemed a prohibitive capital outlay into a long‑term savings plan. His vision extended beyond cost by championing water‑harvesting designs in new buildings. He insisted on native landscaping to reduce irrigation needs and mandated green‑certification criteria for every major renovation. Sinco’s influence has reshaped budget priorities, embedding sustainability targets in annual performance evaluations and forging alliances with local government units and non‑profits.
Across the full slate of fifty-plus initiatives, the university’s sustainability work breaks down into three clear areas of focus. Research projects account for roughly one-seventh of the total, community engagement makes up nearly one-third, and hands-on practice represents just over half.
In research, eight studies probe everything from solid-waste management attitudes among staff to water-potability testing, river quality assessments and air-quality monitoring.
Most of these efforts zero in on SDG-6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG-11 (sustainable cities), reflecting the importance of water quality and urban resilience in Dumaguete — a coastal town that is, after all, lapped by the Bohol Sea in the front and backed by the rolling hills of Valencia in its rear.
Many of these investigations were performed under a partnership, often formalized through MOAs with government agencies or NGOs, ensuring findings feed directly into broader environmental planning. Regardless, Foundation University's environmental initiatives have always reflected in a broader concern for stewardship, whether it is by a departmental accord or something wider.
Community-centered efforts number around sixteen and span youth workshops on environmental management, coastal and river clean-ups, health-and-wellness drives and emergency-response training. Here the university partners with barangays, PENRO, the Philippine Earth Justice Center and other groups to deliver service-learning, public lectures and mass mobilizations. Notable events include the 38th International Coastal Clean-Up (SDG-14), the Banica River clean-up, and a series of health-monitoring and first-aid trainings (SDG-3).
Practice initiatives dominate the portfolio with roughly thirty-one projects. These range from installing LED lighting, smart meters and solar-powered generators (SDG-7) to rolling out zero-waste procurement, sensor-activated lights and unisex compost lounges (SDG-12 and SDG-5). On campus, living labs like the green-space renovation, rainwater-harvesting trials and bokashi production feed directly into operational savings and educational programs. Large-scale tree plantings, mangrove restoration and coastal-clean-drive pilots (SDG-13 and SDG-14) demonstrate the institution’s commitment to scaling practical solutions.
Across all thrusts, water and waste feature most prominently—clean-water research, river and coastal clean-ups, recycling programs and household-composting lectures link back to SDG-6 and SDG-12 again and again. Campus-wide energy upgrades, from smart meters to photovoltaic arrays, tie into SDG-7 and SDG-13, while urban-environment targets like air-quality monitoring and sustainable architecture reinforce SDG-11. In keeping with the university’s threefold approach, each project either builds knowledge, brings stakeholders together or embeds sustainable methods into everyday operations—often doing all three through carefully structured partnerships.
Across the thirty‐five SDG–thrust pairings we tracked, Practice stands out as the dominant mode of action. Of the ninety‐one total initiatives, forty‐one fall under practice, twenty‐three under Community Engagement and twenty‐seven under Research. SDG-11 (sustainable cities and communities) leads the pack with thirteen projects — eight in practice, three in community and two in research — reflecting a strong campus push to model urban sustainability both on and off campus.
Water and sanitation (SDG-6) rank after, with seven initiatives spread evenly across practice (three), research (three) and community (one). That balance suggests the university is generating data on water quality even as it pilots hands‐on solutions like downspout chains and bokashi and stages events such as the BANICA Rehabilitation Program. Meanwhile, life below water (SDG-14) and responsible consumption and production (SDG-12) each command six projects. SDG-14 divides into two practice, three community and one research effort, whereas SDG-12 groups five practice and two research activities, underscoring a bias toward practical waste‐management tactics.
Health (SDG-3) registers six entries, all in community outreach—wellness exercises, first aid training and covid-19 response—while higher education quality (SDG-4), gender equality (SDG-5) and industry innovation (SDG-9) each tally two or fewer projects, suggesting room to grow partnerships or studies in those areas. Clean energy (SDG-7) features four practice deployments of LED lights, solar panels and smart generators, but no community or research components, pointing to an opportunity for complementary outreach or impact analysis.
At the other end, zero projects address SDG-17 (partnerships for the goals) in the community or research spheres—just one practice initiative. And while economic growth (SDG-8) and sustainable land use (SDG-15) appear briefly, both have fewer entries than the average. Taken together, these figures show a clear preference for turning sustainability theory into campus‐wide practice, with solid support for community engagement and a substantial research arm that could be better integrated into certain SDG areas as you plan your next round of MOAs and project rollouts.
Internal Reports
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