The Composting Champions program was developed collaboratively by Facility Services staff and sustainability students studying in McMaster’s Academic Sustainability Program, with support from champions from across campus who piloted the program and helped it become a permanent part of sustainability at McMaster.

To sign up to become a Composting Champion, visit their website.

McMaster University is committed to fostering an inclusive community where everyone is valued and treated fairly. The Employment Equity Framework focuses on identifying priorities, implementing equitable strategies, ensuring accountability in hiring practices, supporting leadership development for equity, and strengthening connections with communities we serve.

Find out more about the Employment Equity Framework.

McMaster released its first university-wide Sustainability Strategy 2022 – 26, developed through various engagements with students, faculty and staff across the campus community. With the goal of transforming the campus into a living laboratory for sustainability, accessibility, and inclusion, a report will be produced annually making connections to the strategy and sharing progress on implementation.

View the Annual Sustainability Report.

The Healthy Workplace Committee at McMaster University, established in 2002, is a team of employee volunteers from various areas working to improve employee health and well-being through education, awareness, and wellness events.

To learn more, visit the Employee Well-Being webpage.

Hospitality Services at McMaster University has developed its own Okanagan Charter document, emphasizing the significance of nutrition, food security, and environmental sustainability within the campus community. Read about their detailed commitment in this document.

In October 2017, McMaster became the second Canadian University to join the international Age-Friendly University (AFU) network, a global body made up of higher education institutions that are committed to becoming more universally accessible. As a member of the network, McMaster is committed to working towards the 10 guiding principles of an age-friendly university.

For more information, visit the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging.

Since 2017, McMaster has been an active member of the Canadian Health Promoting Campuses Network, which engages higher education institutions across Canada to activate the Okanagan Charter.

To learn more, visit the Canadian Health Promoting Campuses website.

The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal is part of the Optimal Aging Knowledge Translation Enterprise at McMaster University, which is funded by the Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative. It offers evidence-based information for older adults, clinicians, public health professionals and policymakers. The knowledge translation enterprise also focuses on action-oriented initiatives for stakeholder engagement (such as citizen panels, stakeholder dialogues, and public talks and debates) and for media engagement.

Visit the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal.

The connectME initiatives give McMaster employees and their families the chance to grow their university network through the cultivation of innovative and exemplary programming. These initiatives will ultimately provide faculty and staff with the opportunity to enhance connections between themselves and the greater McMaster community, while promoting work-life balance and personal engagement as key priorities.

To learn more, visit the connectME webpage.

McMaster University is dedicated to strengthening its relationship with Indigenous communities, supporting Indigenous students, staff, and faculty, promoting Indigenous education and culture, and ensuring Indigenous representation in decision-making processes. The primary body responsible for advancing Indigenous education at McMaster is the Indigenous Education Council, which includes representatives from the university’s senior administration to facilitate ongoing engagement in decision-making and aims to foster respect for Indigenous cultural history and academic leadership.

To learn more, visit the Indigenous Education Council webpage.

Facility Services continues to make progress each year toward the waste reduction plan, aimed at developing ways to increase waste diversion rates and reduce cross-contamination between waste and recyclables.

To learn more, visit the Facility Services website.

The President’s Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC) aims to identify and anticipate issues affecting equity-seeking communities both within the University and relevant to those seeking access to the University, and to advise the President on such issues.

To learn more, visit the PACBIC website.

Safety and Health Week is an annual observance to spread awareness about occupational health and safety, previously known as North American Occupation Safety & Health Week (NAOSH). Members of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) will be organizing sessions for the broader McMaster community, including a BBQ and Vendor Fair.

In 2021, McMaster University signed the The Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education: Principles, Actions and Accountability. This Charter is committed to addressing anti-Black racism and fostering Black inclusion in higher education institutions across Canada.

The Student Wellness Centre is the place on campus to address wellness needs. They provide a range of counselling options, medical services and wellness programs so that students can get the most out of their McMaster experience, academically and personally.

To learn more about their services, visit the Student Wellness Centre website.

McMaster University has committed to implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals through its research, initiatives, and operations across McMaster.

To learn more, visit the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals website.

The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging is a large, national research platform that follows more than 50,000 men and women who were between the ages of 45 and 85 at the time of recruitment (which began in 2010) for 20 years or until death. Ongoing research projects and collaborations using CLSA data span the disciplines of biological, clinical, social and population health, and are aimed at understanding how various factors impact the maintenance of physical and mental health, as well as the development of disease and disability as people age.

To learn more, visit the CLSA website.

McMaster University is committed to creating a healthier environment and supporting its strategic priorities by adopting a tobacco and smoke-free campus policy, which prohibits the use of tobacco and smoking products on all university property. Exemptions are made for Indigenous cultural and spiritual practices involving traditional and sacred medicines like tobacco, sweet grass, sage, and cedar, with a procedure in place to ensure inclusivity and safety.

To learn more, visit the Tobacco and Smoke Free Campus webpage.

McMaster University conducted a study in 2018, led by the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA), to assess and improve campus walkability. The study identified three main areas for improvement: navigation, safety, and creating a welcoming environment, leading to initiatives such as installing wayfinding signage and maps on campus to enhance accessibility and encourage participation in various activities, especially among older adults.

Read the full report.