INNOVATION MEETS IMPACT
Durham College named one of Canada's 2025 Greenest Employers for ninth year

Durham College (DC) is proud to be named one of Canada's Greenest Employers of 2025, earning the honour for the ninth consecutive year. This achievement highlights DC's ongoing commitment to sustainability and the innovative efforts students and employees are making to create a greener future on campus and beyond.

Sustainability is a core value at DC, shaping how the college operates, educates, and partners with the community.

"Our goal is to lead by example - showing our students and employees what it means to act with environmental responsibility, so they are empowered to build a more sustainable future," said Amanda Blenkhorn, Director of Ancillary Services and Chair of the college's Green Impact Team. "I'm incredibly happy that we aim to promote environmental stewardship and continue to champion sustainability at every level."

From waste reduction initiatives to experiential learning opportunities for students, DC marked key milestones over the past year that support environmental progress on campus and in the community:

Greener Learning Spaces

DC's innovative spaces reinforce our commitment to sustainable learning:

• Opening the Vanhaverbeke Family EV Training Centre, a state-of-the-art facility that will prepare students for careers with electric vehicles and cleaner transportation and welcome the first cohort of students from the new Electric Drive Vehicle Technician program this fall.
• Diverting over 6.3 metric tonnes of food through the biodigester in The Centre for Organic Regeneration, supports a zero-waste culinary model and challenges students to be creative with all aspects of food.
• Promoting urban farming and sustainable food production at The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture's Urban Farm in Ajax enhancing experience and education.

Driving Collaboration and Innovation

DC fosters a culture of environmental responsibility that extends beyond the classroom:

• In March, 2025, Enactus Durham College competed in the Central Regional Exposition, where the Second Sole project team earned the title of Canadian Tire Environmental Sustainability Central Regional Champions. They tackled the issue of single-use gloves waste by repurposing the material into useful products like hockey pucks and shoe soles. Building on this success, DC's Green Impact Team is exploring ways to partner with Enactus Durham College and expand the project to areas across campus to reduce the college's environmental footprint.
• The RBC Urban Agriculture Program provides funding to 10 DC student-led projects that support urban agriculture - any farming or food production done in an urban area.
• The Social Impact Hub supports additional student and staff-led community initiatives, focusing on applied research and experiential learning. These projects address complex social challenges, including climate change, through innovation and collaboration.

Sustainable Campus Grounds

DC's Facilities team adopts greener practices across both campuses, including recent work of:

• Removing invasive paoplars and repurposing them as giraffe food via a partnership with the Toronto Zoo.
• Planting three new pollinator gardens.
• Installing new bike racks and repair stations to support eco-friendly commuting.
• Launching a reusable container program for on-the-go meals on campus.

By investing in sustainable infrastructure, empowering student initiatives and improving campus operations, DC is working toward a greener future - one innovation at a time.

Durham College's recognition is part of the 2025 Canada's Greenest Employers competition, organized by the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. Read DC's Greenest Employer profile online.