Earlier this week, the Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC) signed the SDG Accord, which is an agreement among student leaders, institutions, organizations, and individuals, to commit to the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are 17 goals in total that aim to reduce inequality, eliminate the barriers of education, and contribute to economic and environmental growth.
The SAGBC also funds The Dialog.
According to Sri Krishna Rajan, the SAGBC’s interim director of communications and internal, the SAGBC is calling on the college to work towards the SDGs as a collaborative effort to promote sustainability.
“On the GBC website, a new building is being built, named the Arbour,” said Rajan. “The structure is energy efficient, and from this example, you can see that GBC is planning to get into sustainability.”
Rajan further states that energy efficiency is the seventh goal of the SDGs, and adds that the SAGBC will continue to encourage George Brown College to sign the accord.
“We will be trying to help each other to move towards sustainability, and become more involved in the structures and buildings.”
Other than clean energy and efficiency, the social and economic impacts among students are important to consider as well.
“We are continuing to work on sectors related to the SDGs,” said Rajan. “We are hugely involved in the Student Nutrition Access Program (SNAP), during the pandemic, and even in normal situations.”
Rajan also adds that the SAGBC has received support from GBC with the SNAP program. However, he says that the SAGBC is placing more of an emphasis on the first five SDGs, which aim to eliminate poverty and hunger, while promoting good health, education, and gender equality.
“When you look at the issues and complaints that most students have, the results indicate that most students are worried about the first five SDGs. But if we can help them, we will potentially develop a better quality of life and better education in SAGBC and GBC.”
As of right now, plans are still underway between SAGBC and GBC. According to Rajan, discussions between both parties will occur within the next few months.
“We will be working on this [strategizing and planning] in the coming months. We have just signed the accord so we will be reaching out regarding this in a few weeks. We need to send them [GBC] the information about this and probably we will be having a conversation.”
However, the impacts and extent of the plans still remain in the works between both parties. If GBC does sign the accord though, they will be the fifth college or university in Canada and the second college or university in Ontario, to follow through.
“Both SAGBC and GBC are working in some parts, but I believe that we need to get highly dedicated to achieve these goals,” said Rajan. “We are working on it, but we need to strategize and align with each other to give our best to achieve this goal and support our students.”
