Environmental and sustainability work at SLU

Page reviewed:  15/04/2025

Our activities affect the environment directly through our use of resources, travel, emissions, etc. However, we can also influence the environment indirectly through our unique expertise in the area.

Since 2016, SLU has been environmentally certified according to ISO 14001.

SLU's environmental policy

"SLU contributes to ecologically, socially and financially sustainable development. Environmental thinking and environmental aspects are integrated in all decision-making and are part of all activities within SLU's organisation. The environmental work at SLU is a long-term process which builds on continual improvement and is based on the environmental regulations in force."

According to the Ordinance on Environmental Management in Government Agencies (SFS 2009:907), SLU must work in line with a set environmental management system.

Establishing an environmental management system has two main purposes: to ensure that environmental legislation and other environmentally related binding requirements and rules are followed and that operations are constantly improved so that their environmental impact is reduced.

Certifications

The Vice-Chancellor of SLU has decided that the entire university should be environmentally certified according to ISO 14001, which we have been since 2016. Lövsta agricultural research is also certified according to the quality standard ISO 9001. Upon certification, a certificate is received that describes, among other things, which part of the operation is certified and the validity period of the certificate. Within each operation there is one or more environmental coordinators/environmental representatives. There are also quality coordinators where ISO 9001 is relevant.

Read more at the Swedish Institute for Standards, SIS

EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) is the EU's voluntary environmental management and audit scheme. SLU became EMAS registered in 2019. EMAS is more ambitious than ISO 14001. To become EMAS registered, you must also submit an annual third-party audited environmental report in addition to meeting the requirements of the ISO standard. RISE and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency review and approve the environmental reports.

Read more about the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

Read more about RISE

PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) is an initiative within the UN to create a platform for training future business leaders who can and want to work with sustainable development. At SLU, this takes place in our programs and courses within the subject of business administration.

Read more about PRME

Environmental commitments

Environmental objectives

SLU has the vision to be a climate-neutral university by 2027. To achieve this, six focus areas have been identified. Some of the objectives are followed up on every six months, others once a year. The focus areas are as follows:

  • Energy use
  • Business travel
  • Procurement
  • Education
  • Environmental monitoring and assessment
  • A climate-neutral university

SLU and Agenda 2030

Education, research and environmental monitoring and assessment produce knowledge that contributes to achieving the goals for sustainable development, both in Sweden and globally. Here are examples of what SLU does, linked to the global goals in Agenda 2030.

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