Sustainability and Climate Action Policy
1. Policy Statement
Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) is committed to advancing sustainability, environmental stewardship, climate responsibility, and socially responsible development across all aspects of its operations, teaching, research, innovation, governance, partnerships, and community engagement.
In alignment with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the Saudi Green Initiative, national environmental regulations, Islamic ethical principles, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), PSAU recognises sustainability and climate action as strategic institutional priorities essential to building resilient communities, advancing knowledge economies, supporting societal wellbeing, and safeguarding future generations.
Through this Policy, PSAU commits to embedding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into institutional governance and decision-making while fostering a university culture that promotes sustainability literacy, responsible resource management, ethical leadership, innovation, and climate resilience.
2. Purpose
This Policy establishes PSAU’s institutional framework for sustainability and climate action and provides guiding principles for integrating sustainability into:
- governance and institutional strategy;
- teaching and learning;
- scientific research and innovation;
- campus operations and infrastructure;
- procurement and resource management;
- mobility and international partnerships;
- student development and wellbeing;
- community engagement and outreach;
- environmental management and climate resilience;
- ESG reporting and accountability.
The Policy additionally supports PSAU’s institutional obligations and aspirations under:
- Saudi Vision 2030;
- the PSAU 2030 SDG Roadmap;
- the PSAU Global South Partnership (PSAU GSP);
- national environmental and sustainability frameworks;
- international sustainability benchmarking systems;
- ESG and climate reporting standards.
3. Scope
This Policy applies to:
- all PSAU campuses and facilities;
- academic and administrative units;
- faculty members and researchers;
- students and alumni;
- professional and support staff;
- contractors and suppliers;
- research centres and laboratories;
- university partnerships and affiliated entities;
- mobility and exchange programmes;
- university-funded projects and initiatives.
4. Guiding Principles
PSAU’s Sustainability and Climate Action Policy is guided by the following principles:
4.1 Sustainability Integration
Sustainability shall be integrated across all university functions and institutional decision-making processes.
4.2 Environmental Responsibility
The university shall promote environmental protection, responsible resource management, biodiversity preservation, and climate resilience.
4.3 Ethical Governance
The university shall uphold integrity, accountability, transparency, and responsible governance in sustainability-related activities.
4.4 Social Responsibility and Inclusion
PSAU shall promote inclusive participation, equitable access, disability inclusion, student wellbeing, gender equity, and community engagement.
4.5 Innovation and Knowledge Advancement
The university shall support interdisciplinary research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and knowledge creation addressing sustainability challenges.
4.6 Partnership and Collaboration
PSAU shall promote local and international partnerships that advance sustainable development and societal transformation.
4.7 Islamic and Cultural Values
The university shall implement sustainability initiatives in a manner consistent with Islamic ethical values, Saudi cultural identity, and national priorities.
5. Institutional Sustainability Commitments
5.1 Governance and ESG Integration
PSAU commits to:
- embedding sustainability into institutional governance structures;
- maintaining a dedicated SDG and ESG governance framework;
- integrating ESG principles into institutional planning and operations;
- strengthening sustainability accountability and transparency;
- supporting ethical and socially responsible institutional practices.
The university shall maintain a dedicated sustainability governance mechanism under the SDG and ESG Strategy and Implementation Unit (SESIU) of the Rankings, Strategy, and Institutional Advancement Department (RASU) to oversee implementation, monitoring, reporting, and coordination of sustainability initiatives.
5.2 Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability
PSAU commits to reducing the environmental impact of its operations through:
- energy efficiency initiatives;
- renewable energy adoption;
- sustainable infrastructure development;
- carbon footprint reduction measures, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050;
- sustainable transportation initiatives;
- waste reduction and recycling programmes;
- responsible water management;
- environmentally responsible procurement practices;
- biodiversity and landscape preservation.
The university further commits to supporting national and global climate action initiatives and advancing institutional pathways towards long-term carbon reduction and climate resilience.
5.3 Sustainable Teaching and Learning
PSAU commits to embedding sustainability and SDG-related concepts into academic programmes and student development activities through:
- curriculum integration;
- sustainability-focused courses and modules;
- interdisciplinary teaching;
- project-based learning;
- sustainability literacy initiatives;
- SDG-oriented student innovation;
- green skills development;
- experiential and community-based learning.
The university shall continue integrating sustainability into engineering, science, health, business, humanities, and interdisciplinary programmes.
5.4 Sustainability Literacy and Green Skills
PSAU commits to developing sustainability competencies among students, faculty, staff, and alumni through:
- sustainability literacy programmes;
- SDG awareness initiatives;
- climate citizenship development;
- professional development activities;
- sustainability workshops and seminars;
- Sulitest TASK implementation;
- green skills training.
The university shall support sustainability competency assessment and continuous learning across the university community.
5.5 Sustainable Research and Innovation
PSAU commits to promoting research, innovation, and entrepreneurship addressing sustainability challenges including:
- climate resilience;
- renewable and clean energy;
- sustainable infrastructure;
- smart cities;
- public health;
- water and food security;
- environmental conservation;
- digital sustainability;
- ethical artificial intelligence;
- inclusive development.
The university shall continue supporting sustainability-focused research through institutional funding programmes, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international partnerships.
5.6 Sustainable Campus Operations
PSAU commits to promoting sustainable campus management practices including:
- efficient energy and water consumption;
- environmentally responsible landscaping;
- green building principles;
- sustainable procurement;
- digital transformation and paper reduction;
- sustainable waste management;
- occupational health and safety;
- environmentally responsible events and activities.
5.7 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
PSAU commits to fostering an inclusive and supportive university environment through:
- equitable access to opportunities;
- disability inclusion and accessibility;
- student wellbeing support;
- anti-discrimination measures;
- gender inclusion initiatives;
- community participation;
- support for vulnerable groups.
Sustainability implementation shall consider social equity, accessibility, and inclusive participation.
5.8 Community Engagement and Societal Impact
PSAU commits to supporting sustainable community development through:
- SDG-focused outreach activities;
- public awareness campaigns;
- community partnerships;
- sustainability exhibitions and workshops;
- student volunteering;
- lifelong learning initiatives;
- knowledge exchange and policy engagement.
The university shall continue organising initiatives such as SDG Weeks, innovation showcases, and sustainability engagement programmes.
5.9 Global Partnerships and Internationalisation
PSAU commits to advancing sustainability through strategic international collaboration including:
- the PSAU Global South Partnership (PSAU GSP);
- international mobility and exchange programmes;
- collaborative SDG research;
- joint innovation initiatives;
- capacity development programmes;
- global sustainability networks.
Partnerships shall promote equitable collaboration, knowledge exchange, ethical engagement, and shared solutions to sustainability challenges.
6. Governance Structure
The implementation of this Policy shall be overseen through PSAU’s sustainability governance framework led by the SDG and ESG Strategy and Implementation Unit (SESIU) under RASU.
The governance framework shall include:
- University-level sustainability oversight;
- sustainability steering committees;
- college sustainability coordinators;
- SDG Ambassadors at academic, non-academic, and community levels;
- ESG reporting and data committees;
- sustainability literacy and engagement committees;
- research and innovation coordination structures.
7. Roles and Responsibilities
7.1 University Leadership (Vice President, Research & Postgraduate Studies)
Provide strategic direction, institutional oversight, and support for sustainability implementation.
7.2 RASU and SESIU
Coordinate implementation, monitoring, reporting, benchmarking, and sustainability governance.
7.3 Colleges and Academic Units
Integrate sustainability into curricula, research, student activities, and operations.
7.4 Faculty and Researchers
Support sustainability-focused teaching, research, mentorship, and community engagement.
7.5 Students
Participate actively in sustainability initiatives, innovation, leadership, and responsible campus behaviour.
7.6 Administrative and Operational Units
Implement sustainable operational practices and support institutional sustainability objectives.
8. Monitoring, Reporting and Continuous Improvement
PSAU shall monitor and evaluate implementation of this Policy through:
- sustainability KPIs;
- ESG performance indicators;
- institutional reporting frameworks;
- benchmarking exercises;
- sustainability audits and assessments;
- stakeholder engagement and feedback.
The university shall publish sustainability-related reports and participate in national and international sustainability benchmarking and ranking exercises.
9. Policy Review
This Policy shall be reviewed periodically (at least once every 3 years) to ensure alignment with:
- evolving national regulations and priorities;
- international sustainability standards;
- institutional strategic objectives;
- climate action developments;
- ESG reporting frameworks;
- emerging sustainability challenges and opportunities.
10. Conclusion
Through this Sustainability and Climate Action Policy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University affirms its commitment to becoming a sustainability-oriented institution that contributes meaningfully to environmental stewardship, societal wellbeing, climate resilience, ethical governance, and sustainable development.
By integrating sustainability into institutional culture, governance, education, research, operations, and partnerships, PSAU seeks to empower current and future generations to contribute responsibly towards a more resilient, equitable, innovative, and sustainable world.
