A roadmap for achieving meaningful and impactful environmental sustainability goals at VCU and VCU Health

The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainability as “the ability to serve the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” As an institution known for shaping and impacting health, Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) leadership in sustainability affects not only the natural environment but human health, health equity, and economic vitality. 

The One VCU Sustainability Plan, a first-of-its-kind plan for VCU, is designed to embed sustainability into the One VCU culture at both the university and health system; leverage resources to restore and protect the natural environment for our students, patients, employees and community; and advance sustainability in education, research and healthcare. It identifies a path forward for VCU and VCU Health to interconnect complex issues in order to sustainably deliver on its mission as well as support the well-being of future generations. 

The One VCU Sustainability Plan reflects VCU’s aspiration and recognizes the scale of these challenges – building upon a wide range of efforts that are already underway.