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Latest Sustainable Development Goals Progress Report
Monash Progress Report 2022
Monash Progress Report 2022 – Goal 12

Monash Progress Report 2022 – Goal 12

Monash University Progress Report 2022 on the Sustainable Development Goals

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Research

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2022 Publications Performance View

Number of Monash Research Outputs: 134

Mean Field Weighted Citation Impact of Monash Outputs: 1.22

3 Year Rolling Mean FWCI of Monash Outputs: 1.60

Making the Circular Economy Work View

Circular economy practices that address waste prevention, reuse, re-manufacture and upcycling are key to tackling climate change. A Monash Business School research team is working with the South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance to support the adoption of circular economy practices in Victorian manufacturing. Funded by Sustainability Victoria and Monash Business School, the project aims to identify and develop practical approaches for manufacturing businesses to adopt these strategies and practices, addressing potential barriers and challenges along the way.

UQ - Monash Indonesia Global Mining Data to Support Social Risk Assessment View

Monash urban design and data science researchers have joined a multi-year, cross institution, collaborative project that explores the social processes in resource development, using advanced geographic information systems and artificial intelligence remote sensing technologies to support social risk assessment. The research project is a joint initiative between Monash Indonesia and the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining at the University of Queensland, supported by multiple funding sources including the Ford Foundation and Google.

Other SDGs:

Plastics and Human Health View

Researchers from Monash Law School were commissioned by the Minderoo Foundation to prepare a report on global plastic pollution regulation. The project, exploring mechanisms to protect human health to be incorporated into a plastics treaty, was timed for the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) meeting to End Plastic Pollution. The research aimed to clarify current regulatory approaches to plastic production, consumption and its attendant pollution to people and the planet.

Other SDGs:

Education

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Unit Statistics and Highlights View

In 2022, 181 units directly related to SDG12 were offered across Monash University, with a total enrolment of 10,689 individual students.

The units highlighted below are a small sample of the units at Monash relating to responsible consumption and production:

MKF2401: Marketing issues in packaging design
MGF5691: Global sustainable ops and supply chain management
TDN2001: Sociologies of design

Climate-Aware Creative Practices View

Monash Art, Design and Architecture hosted a two-day hybrid event, Climate-Aware Creative Practices in February 2022. Educators from 13 universities were invited to the event to share and explore how climate change considerations can be included as part of creative practice education.

The outcome of the two days was the official launch of the Climate-Aware Creative Practices Network as a nation-wide entity with Associate Professor Terri Bird, Associate Professor Tara McDowell and Dr Helen Hughes from the Department of Fine Arts as the steering committee, as well as the formation of three working parties dedicated to supporting educational practices and knowledge in this space.

Other SDGs:

Creative Sustainability View

The first asynchronous online studio unit delivered by Monash Art, Design and Architecture, DGN2040 Creative Sustainability is an undergraduate elective that introduces the role of creative design thinking in response to environmental sustainability challenges.

Students explore topics of planetary health, relationality, materiality and responsible consumption through applied project-based tasks using design methods as tools for identifying and creatively addressing environmental sustainability challenges, including shaping personal behaviour patterns around sustainability.

Other SDGs:

Design Thinking for Global Challenges View

DGN2500 Design Thinking for Global Challenges is an immersive undergraduate elective offered by Monash Art, Design and Architecture at the Prato Centre. The unit is designed to address SDG 12, giving students the opportunity to identify real-world sustainability challenges and apply design thinking approaches to address them through a range of collaborative and creative interventions. Students analyse the challenge through organised factory tours to see how circular economy textiles are recycled into new garments and hands-on workshops with an experimental textile studio to redesign and upcycle used clothing.

Accounting for Sustainability View

The Department of Accounting at Monash Business School has offered unit ACX2900 Accounting for Sustainability to undergraduate students since 2016, covering sustainability issues including integrity and inclusivity, ecology, human rights, and governance. The subject collaborates with industry partners to offer learning experiences focused on positive impact.

In 2022, students enrolled in the unit partnered with textile recovery and textile waste recycling company, Upparel, to organise a Textile Waste Day on campus. The event showcased the transformative power of accounting in advancing socio-ecological change to staff, students and the wider community.

Upparel diverts textile waste from landfill (left) by sorting it for reuse or recycling (right). Pictures courtesy Upparel

The Woolmark Company Prato Study Scholarship Program View

A collaboration between The Woolmark Company and Monash, The Woolmark Company Prato Study Scholarship program supports students to further their academic development through studying at the Prato Centre and by undertaking industry experience with Woolmark allied creative industries. Scholarship recipients begin by visiting wool growers in Geelong then visit textile factories and design studios in Prato and near Milan, learning about the textile production process and how the textile industry is addressing issues of sustainable production and consumption.

In 2022, the industry tour included visits to The Woolmark Company’s Milan office (including the Wool Lab), the d-House Innovation Hub, a wool mill and a wool appreciation course. Recipients also visited GIDA, a wastewater treatment management facility in Prato - a new addition to the scholarship program in 2022.

Other SDGs:

Engagement

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BehaviourWorks Australia Responsible Consumption Mission Collaboration View

The Responsible Consumption Mission, led by BehaviourWorks Australia in the Monash Sustainable Development Institute with partners, explores how systemic behavioural public policy experiments, that support 'responsible consumption', could have a substantial impact on reducing Australia's material-footprint.

In 2022, BehaviourWorks Australia worked with consortium partners Sustainability Victoria, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (Vic), the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water, and Environment, and The Shannon Company on the key policy goal of increasing the extent of buying, swapping and selling secondhand clothes. Engaging with over 100 stakeholders across three tiers of government, charities, NGOs, and consumer brands, the Consortium co-designed a range of ideas to help encourage these behaviours.

Other SDGs:

Operations

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Circular Economy Framework View

In 2022 Monash drafted a new Circular Economy Framework to minimise waste to landfill and transition from commingled recycling to “close the loop” on valuable materials. The draft Framework identifies six key pillars to coordinate activities:

Towards Zero Waste
Responsible Procurement
Transport
Building Construction
Organics
Circular Economy Strategy.

Following a series of workshops, desktop reviews and other engagement during the Framework’s development, 41 initiatives were in development or had been activated to support the transition to a circular economy.

Reuse Centre View

The Monash University Reuse Centre diverts on average 60 tonnes of office furniture from landfill every year. Monash faculties and departments are encouraged to donate surplus furniture to the centre rather than storing or throwing it away. In turn the initiative offers departments furniture at savings of between 60 - 90 per cent off the recommended retail price. Furniture that is unable to be reused within the University is offered to staff, students and charities.

Waste and Recycling View

The return of staff and students to campus resulted in waste generation increasing across Monash campuses in 2022, but not to pre-2020 levels. Monash University produced 2221 tonnes of waste over the year - a 64% increase from 2021 - and recycled 467 tonnes of waste. The proportion of waste diverted from landfill in 2022 remained was 40 per cent of total waste generated.