Awards and Recognition

Discover the acknowledgment and appreciation you deserve for making a positive impact on our university's sustainability journey. Your hard work and dedication are not only recognized but celebrated. Explore how we honor those who are leading the charge towards a more sustainable future.

Join us in recognizing excellence, fostering positive change, and inspiring the collective effort towards a greener, more sustainable campus and community.

Sustainability-affiliated awards:

• Principal's Staff Award (Sustainability/Green Initiatives)
• Sustainable Action Award

Claire Westgate’s dedication to creating a greener, more sustainable future at the Institute for Management & Innovation and in the wider community has earned her the 2024 UTM Principal's Staff Award for Sustainability.

As the Manager of External Partnerships & Communications at the Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI), Westgate promotes the institute’s vision of solving the world’s most complex challenges. Beyond her official duties, Claire exhibits a genuine passion for sustainability that drives her to take on additional responsibilities and go above and beyond in her role.

Learn more about Claire's nomination

In 2022, the Sustainability Office launched the Sustainable Office Program, one of five key areas within the Sustainable Change Programs series, which involved self-assessment checklists designed to engage and empower students, staff, and faculty.  

Upon its launch, Chapple, DeMarco, and Reale hit the ground running by signing up as co-team leads and undertaking several initiatives to move the campaign along.

Learn more about the award winners and their contributions. 

Andrea has made a substantial impact in the community through his innovative programs, greatly enhancing the UTM infrastructure. He is dedicated to addressing food service sustainability by introducing the OZZI program and fostering local food and sustainable growth initiatives, such as the UTM Farm & UTM Bees. Additionally, Andrea champions local and sustainable businesses (e.g., LOCUS Machine). Andrea works with a number of departments on campus to bring to life our sustainability efforts, including food services, facilities, IT, and the sustainability office. Andrea ensures that the team is provided with the information needed in order to educate the community and create & implement the habits required to make real change. Andrea also has a particular interest in food security and food sovereignty and is currently having conversations about how to keep making positive impacts here on campus, and beyond.

At the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) and beyond, Regenesis implements practical, student-led projects that promote environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Key initiatives include:

• Free Store: Pop-up Free Stores reduce waste by offering gently used items free of charge, fostering a culture of sharing and sustainability.
• Farmers' Markets: Weekly markets provide access to locally sourced, sustainable food, supporting local farmers and reducing the campus's carbon footprint.
• Borrowing Centers: These centers offer tools, kitchenware, and camping equipment, encouraging the sharing economy and reducing resource consumption.

Regenesis collaborates with university administrations, local businesses, and community organizations to ensure the longevity and relevance of their programs. Their adaptive approach includes regular volunteer recruitment and community input to meet evolving needs. Regenesis's regenerative initiatives not only minimize environmental harm but also actively restore and enhance ecological and social systems. They engage in habitat restoration, promote a circular economy, and emphasize community collaboration, fostering a culture of sustainability and social responsibility. Across all of its chapters, Regenesis has major milestones including diverting over 10,000 lbs of waste from landfills annually, attracting 360,000+ annual visitors to their markets, and creating 1,400+ environmental action projects and events. Regenesis continues to expand across Ontario, advocating for youth-led environmental involvement and advocacy.
 

TBA

Kuldeep Gangireddy (Senior Manager, Caretaking & Waste Management) has made significant strides in advancing UTM's waste reduction and diversion initiatives. Kuldeep collaborates closely with the Sustainability Office and caretaking team and has led many new initiatives to bring UTM closer to reaching their waste goals. 

His new waste management practices included the creation of responsible disposal hubs for specialty waste—like e-waste, cartridges, and batteries—and the implementation of a coloured bagging system for waste segregation. Kuldeep utilized townhall-style presentations and Q&A sessions to ensure that the caretaking team was well-informed on these new practices. 

ICUBE, a business incubator, developed and executed the Sustainable Innovation Challenge at UTM. Partnering with Sobeys, the ICUBE team created a learning experience for students through a live case challenge, tackling some of the most significant sustainability challenges faced by the grocery retail industry. 

To support students in their learning, ICUBE provided access to mentors, workshops, and prototyping labs. The competition directly engaged external partners in a substantial way and played a significant role in expanding sustainability knowledge on campus, fostering sustainability thinking in students from many disciplines. 

HOPE is a youth-led clinician-supported non-profit organization making mental health support accessible to young people internationally. Their mission is to provide mental health education and peer support, empowering youth advocates in needy communities. 

HOPE has several registered psychologists on a clinical advisory board and working to develop partnerships with educational institutions across the world. 

Since 2021, HOPE has impacted over 360 individuals through their Community Education and Community Building programming. They have received the United World College Alumni Values in Action Award, the Women in Wellness Changemaker Award by Liv Media, Platinum Award for the Youth Wellness Mentor of the Year by Liv Media, and the Global Citizen Youth Leaders Award.