Sustainability strategies and plans , Ngā rautaki whakapūmautanga me ngā mahere

At Massey, we're building on our strong record of teaching, research and engagement on sustainability-related matters to transform:

• what and how we teach
• our research activities
• how we run the university, including campus and business activities.

We recognise that sustainability takes thought and effort. We know becoming sustainable may lead to hard conversations and uncomfortable changes. Part of our challenge as a university is to decide where and how we can make a difference, and what our priorities should be.

Sustainability Framework

Massey University has a vision of leading sustainability through scholarship, teaching, engagement and best practice.

We are committed to the Treaty of Waitangi – te Tiriti o Waitangi.

We recognise the significance for Māori of:

• the unbreakable relationships of people, landscapes and waterways
• kaitiakitanga (the duty to act as guardians who protect and care for the environment).

This is at the heart of our sustainability approach. Care for the planet and people includes environmental, cultural, social and economic aspects.

Massey's sustainability approach is guided by our commitments to:

• collaboration – working co-operatively and co-creatively with our staff, students and partners
• supporting kaitiakitanga – valuing and supporting the unique kaitiaki (guardian) responsibility of Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand
• respect – valuing cultural differences and recognising there are many paths to our goals
• responsibility – being environmental stewards of our campuses and showing care for our staff and students.

We are working towards a future where our climate is stable and our built and natural environments are regenerated. We're using our expertise to inspire and educate students, staff and wider communities. We're helping to create and put into practice ideas for a healthy and flourishing future for New Zealand and the world.

We are working on an updated sustainability framework.

Climate Action Plan

Our Climate Action Plan is an important way we're making sustainability a central part of Massey. The Massey Climate Action Plan runs from 2021 to 2030 and outlines our plans to:

• reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030
• extend research and education around climate change
• work with external partners on research and action to cut all areas of carbon emissions.

Read the detail of our Climate Action Plan

In addition to the mitigation focus of the Climate Action Plan we are now turning our attention to including climate adaptation into our planning. In 2023, the university joined other institutions in the tertiary section to produce Climate Change Scenarios for the Aotearoa New Zealand Tertiary Education Sector. The project focused on examining the question: How will climate change impact Aotearoa New Zealand’s tertiary education sector between now and 2100? Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa is now using these scenarios to inform our climate adaptation planning.

Read the Climate Change Scenarios Executive Summary
Read the Climate Change Scenarios for the Aotearoa New Zealand Tertiary Education Sector

Research, teaching and learning

Taking sustainability seriously means transforming what and how we research and teach at Massey.

We have long had world-class strength in research areas closely connected to sustainability. We’re building on that history to shape a sustainable future, working with others around New Zealand and the world.

Find out about our sustainability research

Our ground-breaking research feeds into our innovative teaching. Students can study sustainability issues across many academic subjects, as well as choose qualifications that focus on sustainability.

See more about studying sustainability at Massey

Sustainable Development Goals

Massey recognises the importance of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as part of a worldwide plan to help people, prosperity and the planet by 2030. Like other universities, we are working on integrating SDGs into our strategies for research, learning and teaching, and sustainability.

Massey's Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainability policies and practices

We’re transforming our culture and practice so sustainability becomes central to Massey’s thinking and activities. We are doing this through key policies and plans, as well as action on the ground.

Key documents include the following:

Massey University policies and frameworks

Massey University strategies, plans and annual reports