2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
Archived information
Archived information is provided for reference, research or record-keeping purposes. It is not subject to Government of Canada web standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Contact us to request a format other than those available.
Publication details
2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
Cat. No.: CR1-26E-PDF
ISSN: 2818-5595
Unless otherwise specified, you may not reproduce materials in this publication, in whole or in part, for the purposes of commercial redistribution without prior written permission from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s copyright administrator. To obtain permission to reproduce Government of Canada materials for commercial purposes, apply for Crown Copyright Clearance by contacting:
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
125 Zaida Eddy Private, 2nd Floor
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1R 0E3
Telephone: 1-855-275-2861
Email: corporate-performance@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Website: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Photographs: © Environment and Climate Change Canada
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, 2024
Introduction to the 2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
The 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. This is the first FSDS to be framed using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and provides a balanced view of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development.
In keeping with the purpose of the Act, to make decision-making related to sustainable development more transparent and accountable to Parliament, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) supports the goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in SSHRC’s 2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS). This Report provides a report on progress related to SSHRC’s DSDS in the fiscal year 2023 to 2024.
The Federal Sustainable Development Act also sets out seven principles that must be considered in the development of the FSDS as well as DSDSs. These basic principles have been considered and incorporated in SSHRC’s DSDS and 2023 to 2024 DSDS Report.
To promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, SSHRC’s departmental strategy reports on Canada’s progress towards implementing the 2030 Agenda and advancing the SDGs, supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators. The Report also now captures progress on SDG initiatives that fall outside the scope of the FSDS.
Commitments for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Goal 4: Promote knowledge and skills for sustainable development
FSDS Context
SSHRC recognizes that education, particularly in the social sciences and humanities and interdisciplinary studies, is a critical driver of sustainable development progress. In addition to technical solutions, current and increasingly complex emerging challenges require a better understanding of the social, cultural and historical forces at play in peoples’ sustainable development decisions. Social sciences and humanities research provides crucial questions, data and universal insights into human behaviour and societies that help us understand ourselves, others, and how our actions shape the world around us.
Supporting student skills development
Ensuring quality education and promoting learning opportunities for Canadians of all ages is essential for Canada’s economic and social prosperity, and for the well-being of all Canadians. In support of SDG 4 and to increase access to quality education and lifelong learning, SSHRC helps advance the Government of Canada’s commitment to promote sustainable development knowledge and skills through talent development. It does so directly by underwriting the training of the next generation of researchers through scholarships and fellowships in the many social sciences and humanities disciplines related to sustainable development, as well as indirectly through grants and research partnerships and targeted thematic initiatives. The funding SSHRC provides to students and fellows boosts educational attainment rates and supports the development of relevant skills for employment, including in the environmental, clean technology and clean economy sectors. In addition, through initiatives and programs such as the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes—SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships Collaboration and Mitacs Elevate, SSHRC works with partners to intensify research partnerships across different sectors and provide students and fellows with enriched training experiences that broaden their opportunities. This promotes the development of skills and knowledge while leveraging multisectoral expertise to address new global challenges.
Promoting sustainable development knowledge through research partnerships
SSHRC also contributes to the Government of Canada’s commitment to produce new knowledge that supports sustainable development. Our grants and partnership programs forge invaluable links among researchers and key partners in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors that can generate new perspectives on sustainable development, drive the growth of clean technologies and fuel the transition to a low-carbon economy. SSHRC supports relevant research by delivering programs that enable researchers to fill knowledge gaps and create solutions.
Scientific collaborations are essential to help understand the impacts of unprecedented environmental change and to respond effectively to the critical challenges of our time. SSHRC-funded research in these key areas benefits Canada’s environment, economy and society. For instance, through the Imagining Canada’s Future Ideas Lab: Canada and the Circular Economy initiative, the agency fosters innovative approaches to accelerate the global transition towards a circular economy model as a pathway to sustainability.
SSHRC administers several tri-agency programs that strengthen the country’s research ecosystem in areas that generate long-term social and economic advantages for Canada. As an example, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund supports large-scale collaborative research in thematic areas aligned with the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priorities. Our programs provide opportunities for Canadian researchers to collaborate on domestic and international science and technology initiatives that address climate-change and sustainability factors. They enable researchers and students to deliver groundbreaking innovations and to provide essential data for decision making.
In 2023-24, SSHRC launched the Global Health and Wellness for the 21st Century call, funded through the Imagining Canada’s Future Ideas Lab in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Genome Canada. Ideas Labs create new research collaborations that transcend institutional and disciplinary silos to encourage diverse ways of thinking to address complex challenges.
This initiative invests in interdisciplinary projects that present innovative solutions to challenges to Canada’s health and wellness systems posed by climate change and other environmental and socio-economic factors.
Over two years, up to five multisectoral partnerships will design and promote resilient and sustainable health systems and support communities across Canada in mitigating and adapting to new and emerging challenges. The findings will inform policies and practices addressing the needs of diverse sectors throughout the country, which may also have wider global benefits.
Target theme: Training and skills in sustainable development
Target: By December 2025, Canada’s pool of science talent grows by 175,000 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry)Footnote 1
| Implementation Strategy | Departmental action |
Performance indicator
Starting point Target |
How the Departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS | Results achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Support youth skill development in environmental sectors. |
Support students at every stage of study, help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel in environmental sectors. Programs:
|
Performance indicator:
Starting point: Target: |
Through grants, scholarships and fellowships, SSHRC attracts, retains and develops the next generation of researchers. Through this departmental action, SSHRC contributes to the Government of Canada’s commitment to ensuring that Canadians have access to the quality education, training and skills they need to build an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future, as outlined in the Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result includes direct support to trainees, through scholarships and fellowships, and indirect support by SSHRC grant recipients. |
| * As supporting research specifically in the environment and sustainable development is not part of SSHRC’s mandate, this indicator is for monitoring purposes only and no target has been established. | ||||
Target theme: Research and knowledge sharing
Target: By 2025, Canada's Average Relative Citation (ARC) in natural sciences, engineering, and life sciences ranks within the top 10 of OECD countries, increasing from a ranking of 18 in 2020 (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry)Footnote 2
| Implementation Strategy | Departmental action |
Performance indicator
Starting point Target |
How the Departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS | Results achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Work with partners on sustainable development research initiatives. |
Support team-led research projects on sustainable development. Programs:
|
Performance indicator:
Starting point: Target: |
Through research partnerships, SSHRC supports research projects led by strong, complementary, collaborative teams that will generate new knowledge on sustainable development and accelerate the application of research results to create benefits for Canada. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result represents the number of unique non-academic partners. |
|
Work with partners on sustainable development research initiatives. |
Support team-led research projects on sustainable development. Programs:
|
Performance indicator:
Starting point: Target: |
Through research partnerships, SSHRC supports research projects led by strong, complementary, collaborative teams that will generate new knowledge on sustainable development and accelerate the application of research results to create benefits for Canada. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result is based on data from funding opportunity applications in a given competition year. |
| * As supporting research specifically in the environment and sustainable development is not part of SSHRC’s mandate, these indicators are for monitoring purposes only and no target has been established. | ||||
Goal 10: Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action on inequality
FSDS Context
Supporting Indigenous research and research training
SSHRC is committed to strengthening Indigenous self-determination, leadership and capacity in research and research training, and respecting the value of Indigenous Knowledge systems. SSHRC has long supported research by and with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, and underwrites Indigenous research and research training across all its funding opportunities. With the guidance of its Indigenous Advisory Circle, SSHRC created an Indigenous Research Statement of Principles and developed landmark resources to support and guide Indigenous research and talent, including Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research. Call to Action 65 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada specifically called for SSHRC to establish a national research program to advance the understanding of reconciliation. SSHRC further engaged with Indigenous organizations to help guide its approach in responding to the call.
SSHRC is fulfilling its commitment to Indigenous research and reconciliation through several agency-led initiatives and activities, as well as through activities organized in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). On behalf of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC), SSHRC worked with Indigenous communities to co-develop a strategic plan to identify new ways of doing research by and with Indigenous communities and to advance new models of support for Indigenous research and research training. Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada was launched in 2020 and sets out four directions to strengthen the capacity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to lead their own research and partner with the broader research community. The strategic plan, now extended to 2026, seeks to further build and strengthen relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples by advancing their research priorities, increasing their access to agencies’ program funding, including through revised financial guidelines, and championing Indigenous leadership, self-determination and capacity building in research.
This includes supporting the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research and co-developing with Indigenous advisory bodies a framework to promote self-identification of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in tri-agency programs. The Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research implements and monitors the strategic plan. Through ongoing engagement with Indigenous Peoples, SSHRC and its CRCC partners are implementing an interdisciplinary research and research training model that contributes to reconciliation. In collaboration with the other federal research funding agencies, in 2023-24 SSHRC released What We Heard: A Report from the Three Federal Research Funding Agencies’ Ad Hoc Working Group on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership. This report focuses on the results of a series of engagements on Indigenous citizenship and membership affirmation as the basis to move beyond self-identification within the context of programs, funding opportunities or appointments intended for Indigenous people.
Culturally relevant, inclusive and respectful models of Indigenous research are integrated into the Future Challenge Areas being addressed through SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative. Particularly, the question “How are the knowledge systems, experiences and aspirations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples essential to building a successful shared future for all Canadians?” has explored issues and subquestions on topics such as Indigenous youth and employment, historical and modern treaties, endangered languages, as well as Indigenous values, cultures and knowledge systems. In addition, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and SSHRC are partnering on a national research program to advance understanding of reconciliation. Carried out by and with Indigenous communities, research on reconciliation and residential schools leverages the skills and knowledge of both parties. NCTR has the expertise and ability to safeguard the truths of survivors, their families, communities and others affected by the residential school system. SSHRC’s strength is promoting and supporting research and training in the humanities and social sciences.
SSHRC’s Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative offers additional financial assistance to Indigenous research trainees who have successfully applied to the Canada Graduate Scholarships—Master’s program.
In 2023-24, 81 Indigenous Scholars were offered these awards. Of them, 31 received both an award and a supplement, while 50 were offered a supplement. A total of $925,000 was invested in the program.
Equity, diversity and inclusion in research
Research is more innovative, relevant and impactful when diverse perspectives shape the ways questions are defined and pursued. In recent years, SSHRC and the other federal research funding agencies have undertaken initiatives to foster a more equitable, diverse and inclusive research ecosystem in Canada. Under the leadership of the CRCC, an action plan has been developed that guides initiatives and decisions to contribute to a system-wide transformation. The Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2018-2025 outlines measures to increase equitable and inclusive access to the agencies’ funding opportunities. It also details how the federal research funding agencies can influence the achievement of an inclusive postsecondary research system and culture in Canada.
Recognizing that research results and outcomes are multifaceted and can reflect multiple types of knowledge and ways of knowing, SSHRC, along with the four other major Canadian federal research funders (CIHR, NSERC, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Genome Canada), signed onto the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA is a global initiative that aims to address the negative consequences of the overuse of narrow indicators such as journal impact factor as a primary indicator of research output quality. It brings together research leaders around the world who are working to increase research excellence by ensuring robust, equitable and impactful measures for research assessment.
In 2021, SSHRC also created the Advisory Committee to Address Anti-Black Racism to guide the agency on ways to break down existing barriers, ensure equitable access for Black scholars, and amplify their voices and visibility in SSHRC research and research training programs. In response to the advisory committee’s findings and recommendations, SSHRC has developed a strategic action plan to address anti-Black racism in the Canadian social sciences and humanities research enterprise. In addition, CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC are delivering the new Black Scholars initiative through established scholarship and fellowship programs, strengthening the research capacity of Black scholars and enriching Canadian research and innovation. Finally, through its new Accessibility Plan (2022), SSHRC works to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility in both external programs and policies and in internal activities in compliance with the Accessible Canada Act.
Target theme: Advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities
Target: Between 2023 and 2026, and every year on an ongoing basis, develop and table annual progress reports on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)
| Implementation Strategy | Departmental action |
Performance indicator
Starting point Target |
How the Departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS | Results achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. |
Support Indigenous research and research training. Programs:
|
Performance indicator: Starting point: Target: |
SSHRC is committed to supporting and promoting research by Indigenous Peoples and to advancing research excellence by reducing systemic barriers and biases they experience. SSHRC is fulfilling its commitment to Indigenous research and reconciliation through a diversity of agency-led initiatives and activities, as well as through activities organized in collaboration with CIHR and NSERC. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result has exceeded the representation level in academia (1.8%, Statistics Canada, Survey of Postsecondary Faculty and Researchers, 2019). SSHRC’s goal is to reach the level of representation in the population (5%, Census 2021). |
Implementation strategies supporting the goal
This section is for implementation strategies that support the goal “Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action on inequality” but not a specific FSDS target
| Implementation Strategy | Departmental action |
Performance indicator
Starting point Target |
How the Departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS | Results achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Invest in targeted scholarships. |
Support Black research trainees through targeted scholarships. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point*: Target*: |
This departmental action aligns with the 2022 to 2026 FSDS commitment to promoting equality for Black, racialized, and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and persons with disabilities. These targeted scholarships aim to support Canada’s Black students and postdoctoral researchers, and to increase the number and proportion of Black research trainees directly supported by the three federal research funding agencies. This will contribute to strengthening the research capacity of Black scholars and enrich Canadian research and innovation and to making Canada’s research culture more equitable, diverse and inclusive. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The tri-agency USRA program currently supports exclusively Black student trainees. The target for this indicator is intended by 2027. |
|
Invest in targeted scholarships. |
Support Black research trainees through targeted scholarships. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point*: Target*: |
This departmental action aligns with the 2022 to 2026 FSDS commitment to promoting equality for Black, racialized, and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and persons with disabilities. These targeted scholarships aim to support Canada’s Black students and postdoctoral researchers, and to increase the number and proportion of Black research trainees directly supported by the three federal research funding agencies. This will contribute to strengthening the research capacity of Black scholars and enrich Canadian research and innovation and to making Canada’s research culture more equitable, diverse and inclusive. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result doubles the starting point and reflects SSHRC’s commitment to increasing the number of Black awardees. The target for this indicator is intended by 2027. |
|
Invest in targeted scholarships. |
Support Black research trainees through targeted scholarships. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point*: Target*: |
This departmental action aligns with the 2022 to 2026 FSDS commitment to promoting equality for Black, racialized, and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and persons with disabilities. These targeted scholarships aim to support Canada’s Black students and postdoctoral researchers, and to increase the number and proportion of Black research trainees directly supported by the three federal research funding agencies. This will contribute to strengthening the research capacity of Black scholars and enrich Canadian research and innovation and to making Canada’s research culture more equitable, diverse and inclusive. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result is significantly above the starting point and reflects SSHRC’s commitment to increasing the number of Black awardees. The target for this indicator is intended by 2027. |
|
Invest in targeted scholarships. |
Support Black research trainees through targeted scholarships. Program:
|
Performance indicator: Starting point*: Target*: |
This departmental action aligns with the 2022 to 2026 FSDS commitment to promoting equality for Black, racialized, and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and persons with disabilities. These targeted scholarships aim to support Canada’s Black students and postdoctoral researchers, and to increase the number and proportion of Black research trainees directly supported by the three federal research funding agencies. This will contribute to strengthening the research capacity of Black scholars and enrich Canadian research and innovation and to making Canada’s research culture more equitable, diverse and inclusive. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: Sample size not sufficient for reporting in compliance with tri-agency privacy guidelines. The target for this indicator is intended by 2027. |
| * The funds support Black scholars at the undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral stages through current funding opportunities: Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA), Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS)—Master’s (M) and Doctoral (D) levels, and Postdoctoral Fellowship (PDF). | ||||
| Implementation Strategy | Departmental action |
Performance indicator
Starting point Target |
How the Departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS | Results achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Other |
Increase equitable and inclusive access to research funding. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point: Target: |
This departmental action aligns with the 2022 to 2026 FSDS commitment to promoting equality for Black, racialized and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities and persons with disabilities. SSHRC is committed to advancing research excellence through ongoing efforts to reduce the systemic barriers and biases experienced by women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, members of racialized minority groups, and other members of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. To improve access to research support for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, SSHRC must have accurate data on who is participating in and receiving funding from our programs. SSHRC collects self-identification information from individuals participating in funding opportunities to monitor the equity performance of its programs and ultimately, as needed, design measures that achieve greater equity, diversity and inclusion. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result exceeds the level of representation in the general population (51%, Census 2021) and academia (47%, Statistics Canada, Survey of Postsecondary Faculty and Researchers, 2019). |
|
Other |
Increase equitable and inclusive access to research funding. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point: 21.8% (2022-23) Target: At least 26% by 2027 |
This departmental action aligns with the 2022 to 2026 FSDS commitment to promoting equality for Black, racialized and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities and persons with disabilities. SSHRC is committed to advancing research excellence through ongoing efforts to reduce the systemic barriers and biases experienced by women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, members of racialized minority groups, and other members of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. To improve access to research support for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, SSHRC must have accurate data on who is participating in and receiving funding from our programs. SSHRC collects self-identification information from individuals participating in funding opportunities to monitor the equity performance of its programs and, ultimately, as needed, design measures that achieve greater equity, diversity and inclusion. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result is progressing toward the level of representation in the population (26.5%, Census 2021) and academia (36.1%, Statistics Canada, Survey of Postsecondary Faculty and Researchers, 2019). |
|
Other |
Increase equitable and inclusive access to research funding. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point: 9.0% (2022-23) Target: At least 22% |
This departmental action aligns with the 2022 to 2026 FSDS commitment to promoting equality for Black, racialized and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities and persons with disabilities. SSHRC is committed to advancing research excellence through ongoing efforts to reduce the systemic barriers and biases experienced by women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, members of racialized minority groups, and other members of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. To improve access to research support for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, SSHRC must have accurate data on who is participating in and receiving funding from our programs. SSHRC collects self-identification information from individuals participating in funding opportunities to monitor the equity performance of its programs and, ultimately, as needed, design measures that achieve greater equity, diversity and inclusion. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result is progressing toward the level of representation in the population (22%, Census 2021) and exceeds the level of representation in academia (7.3%, Statistics Canada, Survey of Postsecondary Faculty and Researchers, 2019). The target for this indicator is intended by 2027. |
Goal 12: Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles
FSDS Context
Supporting the transition to a net-zero, circular economy
SSHRC contributes to the Government of Canada’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to advance the transition to a circular economy by implementing practices within its internal services that reduce the environmental impact of its infrastructure. In compliance with the Policy on Green Procurement (the policy) and in support of the whole-of-government effort to promote environmental stewardship, SSHRC is reducing its carbon footprint by greening its acquisition operations. By adhering to the policy, SSHRC contributes to its expected results, which include leveraging the federal government’s purchasing power to achieve economies of scale when acquiring environmentally preferable goods and services; adopting more environmentally responsible planning, acquisition, use and disposal practices in the federal government; supporting a healthier workplace for employees and for citizens in general by purchasing environmentally preferable goods and services; and creating a federal government that is resilient to climate change. In keeping with the policy’s objectives and in response to the Greening Governing Strategy, SSHRC continues to integrate environmental performance considerations into its procurement practices and to play an active role in promoting sustainable production and consumption. SSHRC also acknowledges that reducing plastic pollution and its impacts is a global priority. It supports the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste, which promotes a circular economy in which plastic products and materials can be reused, remanufactured or recycled. Informed by the strategy, the agency continues to implement procurement processes that reduce plastic pollution and waste.
Over the last 12 years, SSHRC has taken the following steps to green its operations:
- promoted the use of standing offers for goods and furniture that support the policy
- met with internal clients to review their annual needs, challenged them to reduce consumption and confirmed that the volume requested is required
- encouraged internal client groups to consider greener products and to share documents digitally (reducing the use of paper, postage and courier services)
- advocated for the purchase or rental of recycled or reused material before acquiring new goods
- increased awareness of the policy and green procurement practices among managers as well as materiel and procurement specialists
Through these initiatives, SSHRC has ensured that 100% of its procurement specialists receive the necessary training on the policy’s requirements, enabling them to integrate environmental considerations in their decision-making. SSHRC also uses copy paper and commercial printing resources that contain 100% recycled material and are certified to a recognized environmental standard to reduce the environmental burden of their production. Moreover, the agency minimizes packaging waste and the use of paper documents such as invoices by incorporating environmental criteria in its contracts. This effort has the additional benefit of raising awareness among suppliers and motivating them to reduce their environmental impact.
Beyond these activities, SSHRC supports relevant policies through additional initiatives such as incorporating green criteria into its procurement operational documents and raising further awareness of green acquisition practices among employees. The first strategy incorporates green criteria into the procurement’s statement of requirements and other procurement documents. This enables the organization to promote sustainable procurement practices, meet regulatory requirements and drive innovation. By setting clear expectations for green performance in its procurement documents, SSHRC encourages suppliers to develop and offer innovative, environmentally friendly products and services. This is aimed at driving market transformation and enabling the agency to access and adopt sustainable solutions that align with its environmental goals. The second strategy, centred on employee education, involves embedding an overview of the key principles, procedures and benefits of green procurement in SSHRC’s in-house training. The training explores topics like defining green procurement, understanding sustainable supplier selection, and implementing practices that promote environmentally friendly and sustainable behaviours.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Responsible Consumption
Target: The Government of Canada’s procurement of goods and services will be net-zero emissions by 2050, to aid the transition to a net-zero, circular economy (All Ministers)
| Implementation Strategy | Departmental action |
Performance indicator
Starting point Target |
How the Departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS | Results achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Strengthen green procurement criteria. |
Integrate environmental considerations into procurement management processes and controls. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point: 75% in 2023 Target: 100% by 2027 |
Integrating environmental considerations into the procurement decision-making process is expected to result in more environmentally responsible acquisition practices and an overall reduction of the environmental impact of SSHRC’s infrastructure. Implementing measures that prevent and reduce waste will support this goal and the government’s commitment toward a circular economy. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result represents the in-house procurement documents including provisions for green considerations as outlined in the Policy on Green Procurement. |
|
Strengthen green procurement criteria. |
Provide all relevant employees and suppliers the necessary tools to support green procurement practices. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point: New initiative Target: 100% by 2027 |
Employee training and contract stipulations are two tools that can encourage sustainable consumption and production. Green procurement incorporates environmental criteria into purchasing decisions. Procurement specialists who are trained to apply such criteria can award contracts while taking environmental considerations into account. Accordingly, they are expected to purchase green goods and services. By monitoring employee purchasing behaviour and clearly defining expectations for green procurement contracts, SSHRC will encourage suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of their goods, services and supply chains. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The result is for internal Statement of Requirement and Statement of Work documents. |
|
Strengthen green procurement criteria. |
Provide all relevant employees and suppliers the necessary tools to support green procurement practices. Program: |
Performance indicator: Starting point: 100% in 2023 Target: Maintain a 100% course completion rate between 2024 and 2027. |
Employee training and contract stipulations are two tools that can encourage sustainable consumption and production. Green procurement incorporates environmental criteria into purchasing decisions. Procurement specialists who are trained to apply such criteria can award contracts while taking environmental considerations into account. Accordingly, they are expected to purchase green goods and services. By monitoring employee purchasing behaviour and clearly defining expectations for green procurement contracts, SSHRC will encourage suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of their goods, services and supply chains. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: SSHRC maintained a 100% course completion rate for procurement specialists in 2023-24. |
Goal 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts
FSDS Context
Supporting research on climate change
Climate change has been recognized as the single most important threat to the future well-being of our planet and the health and prosperity of all who inhabit it. Through the research it funds, SSHRC increases our understanding of and capacity to address global challenges such as climate change. Social sciences and humanities researchers are investigating and shedding light on the human elements of pressing environmental issues and climate change adaptation. Their research is leading to solutions and contributing to shaping a positive future for Canadians and the world.
SSHRC leads and participates in international and collaborative research initiatives that aim to address global challenges caused by climate change. For example:
- Under the International stream of the interdisciplinary New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) and on behalf of the three federal research funding agencies, SSHRC is delivering the 2023 International Initiative for Research on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, a multilateral initiative involving nine international funding partners. This highly impactful call provides $90 million over three years to fund a portfolio of international projects to develop adaptation and mitigation strategies with groups that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to both their physical and socio-economic circumstances. Results were released in February 2024 and announced in June 2024: The agencies are contributing nearly $60 million to the initiative, financing 32 international interdisciplinary research projects.
- The 2024 NordForsk-led International Joint Initiative on Sustainable Development of the Arctic supports international collaboration among Nordic countries, the U.S. and Canada. The objective of the call is to jointly fund interdisciplinary research projects with potential for impact and societal relevance, and with clear added value from multilateral collaboration. Through the International stream of NFRF, the three federal agencies have dedicated up to $20 million over four years to fund Indigenous co-developed and co-led research projects that explore approaches to sustainable development in the Arctic and solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.
- SSHRC is participating in a decarbonization project under the Global Centers initiative led by the U.S. National Science Foundation. This collaborative effort of the National Science Foundation, SSHRC, NSERC, Australia’s Commonwealth Science and Innovation Research Organization, and UK Research and Innovation supports the creation of international hubs of research excellence on the themes of climate change and clean energy that advance knowledge, empower communities, and generate discovery and innovative solutions on a regional and/or global scale.
- SSHRC, in collaboration with NSERC and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, provides funding through the Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative for fundamental and applied research, knowledge transfer and related activities to accelerate transformative science that will transition the agricultural sector to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. The two agencies seek to catalyze multidisciplinary collaborations among university, college, government and non-academic partners in this area. SSHRC delivered the first competition in 2023-24, with awards to be announced in early 2024-25. Additionally, as part of this initiative, in 2023-24, SSHRC and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada launched the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy. A total of $1.9 million has been awarded to support research aimed at developing a new national research network and advancing sustainable agricultural sectors and food systems in Canada.
- The Canada First Research Excellence Fund and the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program both support research initiatives in two Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priorities related to climate change: Sustainable Food Systems and Clean and Resource-Rich Canada. The programs are funding research projects on a large breadth of topics, including sustainability transitions, new sustainable material development, climate change mitigation, energy diversification and the adoption of clean technologies, and economy decarbonization.
SSHRC continues to explore multilateral and partnership funding opportunities, as well as fund basic research through its core programing, in fields relevant to climate change.
Greening SSHRC’s operations
SSHRC is modernizing its workplace, systems and operations to create a work environment that is both socially and environmentally sustainable. SSHRC recently moved to the new Zibi development, situated on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people in the National Capital Region, joining one of the most sustainable communities in Canada. The development is committed to reducing its ecological footprint by following and applying the guiding principles of the One Planet Living sustainability framework and creating its own action plan. Because environmental sustainability is an essential pillar of that plan, this new community relies entirely on zero-carbon energy sources for its operations, which include SSHRC’s new headquarters. This is being achieved by creating a district energy system that ensures that all energy needs are satisfied on a net-zero carbon basis. The community also emphasizes sustainable transport options through a network of bike lanes and walking paths, public transit, car-sharing locations and electric vehicle charging points.
Through its Workplace Renewal initiative, SSHRC is embracing additional green practices, such as a digital-first policy. The transition to a hybrid working model has also provided SSHRC with a renewed opportunity to evaluate the environmental footprint of its professional output. This, paired with its new headquarters’ commitment to sustainable practices, is keeping SSHRC focused on fostering a greener workplace. In addition, the agency is developing its first business continuity plan to ensure it is well positioned to respond to disruptions, such as those caused by natural disasters and other impacts of climate change. Through these measures, SSHRC intends to play a leadership role in supporting the Greening Government Strategy and the Government of Canada’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Climate Resilience
Target: The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon operations for facilities and conventional fleets by 2050 (All Ministers)
| Implementation Strategy | Departmental action |
Performance indicator
Starting point Target |
How the Departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS | Results achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations. |
Implement electronic disposition plans to reduce the data storage space used in the agencies’ systems that manage information and data* Program: |
Performance indicator: Data storage space containing the agencies’ electronic information and data* Starting point: 15 TB in 2023 Target: 8 TB in 2027 |
With the transition to a digital-first work environment, SSHRC must consider how to responsibly manage electronic data and information and reduce e-waste. The goal is to limit the carbon footprint associated with data storage. SSHRC is putting good practices in place to ensure that the information and data it creates and stores while conducting its activities are managed in a way that limits any negative environmental impact. Relevant targets or ambitions:
|
Indicator result: Notes: The 3.5 TB reduction was achieved through a pilot disposition initiative aimed at reducing data stored for Programs and Information and Innovation Solutions. |
|
* This initiative and the data reported are for both SSHRC and NSERC as the two agencies share some administrative services and systems, including information management. |
||||
Integrating Sustainable Development
SSHRC will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets through its Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process. A SEA for a policy, plan or program proposal includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment, including on relevant FSDS goals and targets.
As required by the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals, a SEA is conducted for a policy, plan or program proposal that, when implemented, could result in important environmental effects and includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment. The SEA process is one of the tools through which the FSDS is further integrated in the government’s decision making: it helps ensure that the environment is considered when developing proposals, while also reporting on how those proposals contribute to the goals and targets of the FSDS.
SEA results are communicated through public statements. The purpose of these statements is to show that the environmental effects, including the impacts on achieving the FSDS goals and targets of the approved policy, plan or program, have been considered during proposal development and decision making.
SSHRC complies with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals, where applicable, and continues to ensure that its decision-making processes include considerations of FSDS goals and targets. One way in which SSHRC is further integrating sustainable development in its operations is by complying with the Impact Assessment Act.
The agency has established guidelines on impact assessment to ensure that SSHRC-funded research, whether conducted inside or outside of Canada, fosters sustainability and protects the environment from adverse effects. This includes considerations of health, social and economic components.
The guidelines also require consideration of the potential impacts on Indigenous and treaty rights. In so doing, the guidelines foster respect for Indigenous Peoples in support of reconciliation in Canada. The guidelines enable SSHRC to incorporate environmental and sustainable development considerations into its funding decisions and ensure that agency-supported project proposals contribute to the FSDS and foster the principles of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
SSHRC did not complete any detailed SEAs in 2023-24.
Page details
From:
- Date modified: