We’re pleased to announce that for the 15th consecutive year, UBC is recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers in 2026!
Canada’s Greenest Employers is an annual competition that recognizes Canadian employers leading the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness, developing exceptional sustainability initiatives, and attracting employees because of their environmental leadership.
The competition also evaluates organizations based on their in-house efforts for waste reduction and recycling; green procurement policies and green building initiatives; and employee-led initiatives and programs to engage employees in sustainability efforts.
Three reasons why UBC is selected as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers this year:
- UBC employees (and students) can take advantage of a transit pass program as well as annual discounted e-bike memberships, and the university launched a new pilot program that offers eligible employees (and faculty) a generous $400 rebate upon purchasing an e-bike for their daily commute
- UBC is accelerating green building performance and regenerative design across its campus through the Green Building Action Plan, aiming to achieve a net-positive contribution to human and natural systems by 2035 — as part of the plan, all new construction and major renovations for institutional buildings must be LEED Gold-certified, with some projects also targeting additional certifications such as Passive House and WELL Building Standard
- UBC’s formal employee-led Sustainability Coordinator program works to implement sustainable practices across the university — and the university’s Workplace Sustainability Fund provides up to $3,000 in funding for on-campus sustainability initiatives related to climate action, waste reduction, education and engagement
At UBC, we are committed to leadership in climate action and embedding sustainability in our teaching, research and work, as well as through our operations and infrastructure. Our sustainability efforts, programs, and initiatives are collaboratively delivered by key partners, faculty, staff, students and residents:
- Campus and Community Planning and UBCO‘s Sustainability Office are dedicated to building a vibrant and sustainable community for everyone who studies, works, lives and creates at UBC. They are responsible for operational sustainability and develop action plans and initiatives for managing land use, energy, water, carbon emissions, waste reduction, transportation, etc.
- The Sustainability Hub builds on UBC’s academic and operational sustainability leadership and works to reinforce the university’s goals to inspire action for a better world. This unit focuses on catalyzing change and supports faculty and staff with programs, reports, resources, and events for learning, knowledge sharing, and engagement for the UBC community and beyond.
- Campus as a Living Lab is an approach that integrates operational and academic sustainability by providing a collaborative framework for faculty, staff, students and partners to address urgent global sustainability challenges in our local campuses.
In addition to being recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers this year, UBC is also recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers.
See also:
- Looking to join UBC? View our careers and job postings.
- Take a look at UBC’s strategic directions 2025-2030 to learn how we’re shaping UBC’s next century
- Learn more about Climate Action Plan 2030 at UBC Vancouver and Okanagan.
- Read the 2024/2025 Annual Sustainability Report, an overview of sustainability activities and highlight achievements at UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
- See what Sustainability Funding Opportunities are available to faculty, staff, students or residents for initiatives that support environmental and social sustainability.
