The concept of social responsibility is gaining more and more importance in the world. Facing growing concerns of environmental degradation and social inequity, there are more efforts to incorporate strategies of social responsibility in organizations, businesses and universities. In this context of urgency, which is the role of the universities?

To respond to this question it is important to consider the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. With the goal to establish a new worldwide equitable alliance through new levels of cooperation among the States, the key sectors of society and the people, were proclaimed as:

- Environmental issues are best handled with participation of all concerned citizens, at the relevant level. (Principle 10)

- The creativity, ideals and courage of the youth of the world should be mobilized to forge a global partnership in order to achieve sustainable development and ensure a better future for all. (Principle 21)

Universities, wanting or not, have a serious responsibility in the sustainable development of society. Responsibility implies on one hand that its routine actions generate consequences, and on the other hand indicate changing power.

The environmental responsibility of the universities is not limited only to scientific research. The responsibility neither ends in proposing environmental public policies. The environmental responsibility of the universities begins in their environmental management. We should ask how the university minimizes the negative impact they cause in the environment? How consistent are the processes of instructing and researching with environment concerns? How environmental accountability plays a role in their management? Do they implement good practices such as recycling programs, energy efficiency strategies and storage of batteries? These questions are prominent for any organization, but above all, important for the universities because:

1. The universities are a social lighthouse: Society considers universities as organizations of change. Many organizations tend to imitate what universities do. Therefore, if universities behave responsibly with the environment, other institutions and organizations will follow it. On the other hand, if some universities are environmentally irresponsible, they are validating irresponsible environmental practices to other organizations.

2. The internal environmental management is a hidden résumé: The universities prepare people. Through their résumé's content, the universities shape people. Students not only gain expertise but also tend to imitate behavior. If a student sees recycling residues programs in his university, he may replicate that project in his professional life. On the other hand, if a university is environmentally irresponsible, it will give wrong examples to students.

Some projects under implementation at the University of Santiago of Chile (USACH):


Environmental Sanitation Program

This initiative took place due to overpopulation of abandoned dogs in the USACH campus. Several incidents such as dog bites and illnesses were affecting the security of the university community inside the campus.

The problem caused a division inside the university community. Part of the community requested massive extermination of animals in the precinct. The other part protected the animals at any cost, without measuring the consequences.

The University of Santiago decided to seek an ethical solution to the problem creating the Environmental Sanitation Unit of the campus, under the management of a Veterinary Doctor and her team.

This unit is responsible for control and care of abandoned dogs. In order to control indiscriminate reproduction, a massive sterilization of dogs was carried out in the campus and neighboring communities. Vaccination and medication were given to prevent illnesses that can be transmitted to people. Additionally, an education campaign of how to take care of pets oriented the neighboring and university communities and built greater conscience and responsibility among pet care takers.

Another initiative was plague control. Periodic controls in the campus are carried out to eliminate plagues such as rodents, insects or doves that could affect the health of the community. Sanitary compliance is also part of the control by environmental authorities.

The results showed 100% of dogs were counted for inside the campus; 80% of dogs are germ-free; 70 animals belonging to the university campus or neighboring community were sterilized and greater consensus created in the university community with respect to the technical and ethical solution to abandoned dogs in the campus.


Recycling Project - ECO USACH

ECHO USACH was born as an initiative of Industrial Engineering students with the goal to install recycling modules throughout the campus. The project implementation began thanks to an award from the Institutional Development Fund. Currently, the project is being implemented. Four glass recycling containers have been installed in an agreement with COANIQUEM foundation and two plastic bottle containers have been installed in an agreement with CENFA foundation. During the first month, the project managed to recycle 2,633 kilograms of glass.

In the next phase seven ECO POINTS will be installed in strategic places of the campus to recycle paper and cardboards, aluminum cans and plastic. According to the plan, the money collected from the recycling program will benefit the sanitation personnel of the university.


By Alejandro Díaz González, Carolina Courbis and Pablo Vicencio




Biographies

Alejandro Díaz González Sociologist from the Catholic University of Chile. Currently, Mr. Díaz works as Executive Secretary of the Social Responsibility Unit of the University of Santiago of Chile. Additionally, he heads the environmental thematic center of the project of Social Responsibility of the University known as "University Builds Country". He participates in the Mirror Committee in Chile that develops ISO 26000 norms of Social Responsibility and he is an environmental member of the civic movement Network Independents. Previously Alejandro Díaz was National Coordinator of the Educational Plan of the Foundation A Roof For Chile and researcher for the Institute of Sociology of the Catholic University of Chile.

Carolina Courbis Medical Veterinary, Mrs. Courbis has dedicated her time mainly in the clinical area for pets, in the areas of Pathology, Histopathology and Immunology. Currently she works in the University of Santiago, in the area of Public Health, in charge of the Environmental Sanitation Unit of the campus.

Pablo Vicencio Industrial Engineering student of the University of Santiago of Chile, Mr. Vicencio is also researcher at GETIC. He is the founder of the project Eco-Usach.

www.iesalc.unesco.org.ve