Client

BCIT

Location

Burnaby, BC

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) recently launched a new Sustainability Vision that outlines nine strategies to leverage the institute’s strengths and create a clear path for sustainability progress.

Overview

BCIT hired Prism to help facilitate an in-person and online community engagement process to gather input on the draft Sustainability Vision and Strategies from BCIT’s diverse group of stakeholders.

Working closely with the Institute Sustainability team in the fall of 2019, Prism supported the design and delivery of a series of consultation initiatives, including multiple open house events and online surveys. Through the process, almost 800 people shared ideas, input and inspiration that helped refine the vision and strategies.

Consultation Process

With Prism’s support, BCIT hosted six open houses – one at each of the institute’s five campuses, as well as one at the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation.

The events featured a set of large-format posters, created by Prism that:

  • shared the draft vision and strategies,
  • were used to create a space to gather input from participants, and
  • provided information on the context for the work and why BCIT is committed to continuing progress on embedding sustainability into organizational practices.

In addition, Prism developed and conducted several online surveys to gather input from diverse campus and external stakeholders. The surveys allowed these stakeholders to provide input even if they couldn’t attend one of the open houses.

Analyzing Results

The final Engagement and Consultation Report collated over 550 comments from students, staff and faculty. It grouped the comments into key themes and ideas that helped to inform updates to the Vision and nine sustainability strategies.

Launched in April 2020, BCIT’s new Sustainability Vision will guide the institute’s sustainability plans and actions through the coming years. To echo the document’s title, it will enable “people to lead socially just lives within ecological limits.”