The Sustainability Office sees this area developing as follows: “The University of Hamburg possesses comprehensive knowledge about its footprint, handprint, and brainprint. Data collection is largely automated and based on a standardized system of indicators. Collected data are presented in legible dashboards that provide transparency and serve as a management tool. As far as possible, data are publicly available, to encourage information exchange and further development of sustainable practices.“

Various impact measurement and reporting processes are being implemented to measure and document the University’s negative and positive effects on people and the environment.

In this context, conducting a comprehensive double materiality analysis was especially significant. This is a vital tool for systematically recording and evaluating relevant sustainability aspects at the University of Hamburg and incorporating findings into strategic decisions. It assessed sustainability-related risks and opportunities in addition to the effects of University activities on people and the environment.

A further major initiative is the annual accounting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to the standards set forth in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The accounting includes direct emissions from the University’s own operations (Scope 1), indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2), and all other indirect emissions from up- and downstream activities (Scope 3).

Furthermore, we use selected key indicators and the United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) to evaluate our university-specific sustainability achievements, and present the University of Hamburg’s contributions to sustainable development with documented analysis and links to SDGs in research, teaching, and knowledge exchange.

These measures constitute an important basis for internal and external sustainability reporting at the University of Hamburg. They also support our participation in sustainability rankings such as the QS Sustainability Ranking.

Activities in the area of impact measurement and reporting

A range of measures is being implemented as part of the impact measurement and reporting activities at the University of Hamburg to measure and document the University’s impact on the environment, society, and the economy.

A key initiative is that of climate reporting, which provides a comprehensive account of greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with Scope 1–3 criteria. This does not just represent the direct emissions from the University’s own operations (Scope 1), but also the indirect emissions from energy generation and transport activities (Scopes 2 and 3).

In addition, a system of indicators will be developed to measure the University’s sustainability. This includes the development of a structured data basis for representing the footprint, including emissions balances and sustainability figures for operations. This not only captures the negative impacts, such as carbon footprint, but also positive impacts like the handprint (positive effects on the environment and community) and the brainprint (contribution to attaining sustainable development goals through research, teaching, and knowledge exchange).

Data are collected and reporting conducted in compliance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and its guidelines. This allows for transparent publication of the University’s sustainability performance, and facilitates comparison with other organizations. In addition, the University seeks to improve its standing in international comparisons and identify best practices by coordinating and participating in various sustainability rankings, such as the THE Impact Ranking and the QS Sustainability Ranking.

As part of the efforts to encourage sustainable mobility, the University is certified as a bicycle-friendly employer, to encourage cycling as an environmentally-friendly alternative to cars. These efforts are also supported by rankings such as THE Impact and QS Sustainability. In the future, the University plans to improve the visualization of sustainability data through the (further) development of maps and dashboards to increase the transparency and clarity of the information.

In addition, the University is striving to attain certification as a Fairtrade University, as well as EMAS certification and the Blue Angel label for a climate-neutral Regional Computing Center, to further strengthen its sustainability efforts. Finally, the University plans to expand its participation in other sustainability rankings, such as the UI GreenMetric Ranking and the Second Nature Ranking, to solidify its global visibility as a leading sustainable educational institution.