2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

Goal 4:
Promote knowledge and skills for sustainable development

FSDS context

SSHRC acknowledges that education, particularly in the social sciences and humanities and interdisciplinary studies, is a crucial driver of progress toward sustainable development. Addressing today's and tomorrow's complex challenges requires both technical solutions and knowledge from the social sciences and humanities to better understand the behavioural, social, cultural and historical factors that come into play. Social sciences and humanities research helps us understand ourselves, others, and how human behaviour shapes the world around us.

Supporting student skills development

Ensuring quality education and promoting learning opportunities for Canadians of all ages are essential for Canada's economic and social prosperity, and for the well-being of all Canadians. In support of SDG 4 and to ensure access to quality education and lifelong learning for all Canadians, SSHRC contributes to the Government of Canada’s commitment to promoting knowledge and skills for sustainable development. It does so directly by supporting the training of the next generation of researchers through scholarships and fellowships in the many social sciences and humanities disciplines related to sustainable development and, indirectly, through grants and research partnerships within targeted thematic initiatives. SSHRC also supports researchers in the early stages of their career through a number of programs, such as the Canada Research Chairs.The funding opportunities SSHRC offers to students and fellows boost educational attainment rates and support the development of relevant skills for employment, including in the environmental, clean technology and clean economy sectors. Through a series of initiatives and programs, such as the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes—SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships Collaboration and Mitacs Elevate, SSHRC is also working with partners to offer students and fellows an enriched training experience, broaden their opportunities, and intensify research partnerships across the different sectors. This supports the development of skills and knowledge, while leveraging multisectoral expertise to address new global challenges.

Promoting knowledge on sustainable development through research partnerships

SSHRC also contributes to the Government of Canada’s commitment to produce new knowledge on sustainable development. Our grants and partnership programs help forge invaluable links between researchers and key partners in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors that can generate new perspectives on sustainable development, drive the growth of clean technologies and support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Scientific collaborations are essential to help understand the impact of unprecedented environmental change across the globe and address the critical challenges of our time. SSHRC acknowledges that funding research in key areas benefits Canada’s environment, society and economy. It is committed to delivering programs that enable researchers to fill knowledge gaps and create innovative solutions. SSHRC also administers several tri-agency programs that strengthen the country’s research ecosystem in areas that create long-term social and economic advantages for Canada. For example, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund is a unique institutional program that supports large-scale research programs establishing Canadian and international partnerships on a thematic area aligned with the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priorities. Our programs provide opportunities for Canadian researchers to collaborate on domestic and international science and technology initiatives that address climate-change and sustainability factors. They also prepare and empower those driven to contribute to the global discourse on sustainable development to deliver groundbreaking technologies and to provide essential data for decision making.

Goal 10:
Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action on inequality

FSDS context:

Supporting Indigenous research and research training

Research excellence includes strengthening Indigenous self-determination, leadership and capacity in research and research training, and respecting the value of Indigenous Knowledge systems. SSHRC has long been committed to supporting research by and with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, and supports Indigenous research and research training across all its funding opportunities. With the guidance of its Indigenous Advisory Circle, SSHRC created an Indigenous Research Statement of Principles and landmark resources to support and guide Indigenous research and talent, including Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research. Call to Action 65 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada specifically called for SSHRC to establish a national research program to advance the understanding of reconciliation. SSHRC further engaged with Indigenous organizations to help guide its approach in responding to the call.

SSHRC is fulfilling its commitment to Indigenous research and reconciliation through a diversity of agency-led initiatives and activities, as well as through activities organized in collaboration with Canada’s other federal research funding agencies, CIHR and NSERC. On behalf of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC), SSHRC led the co-development of a strategic plan to identify new ways of doing research by and with Indigenous communities and to advance new models of support for Indigenous research and research training. Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada was launched in 2020 and sets out four directions to strengthen the capacity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to lead their own research and partner with the broader research community. The strategic plan seeks to further build and strengthen relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples; support the research priorities of Indigenous Peoples; increase access for Indigenous Peoples to agencies’ program funding; and champion Indigenous leadership, self-determination and capacity building in research. This includes supporting the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research and co-developing, with Indigenous advisory bodies, a framework to support self-identification of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in tri-agency programs. The Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research works to support implementation and monitoring of the strategic plan. Through ongoing engagement with Indigenous Peoples, SSHRC and its CRCC partners will implement an interdisciplinary research and research training model that contributes to reconciliation.

Indigenous research is also integrated into the Future Challenge Areas being addressed through SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative, particularly the question “How are the knowledge systems, experiences and aspirations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples essential to building a successful shared future for all Canadians?” This future challenge area includes issues and subquestions on topics such as Indigenous youth and employment; historical and modern treaties; Indigenous values, cultures and knowledge systems; and endangered languages and cultures. In addition, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and SSHRC are partnering on a national research program to advance understanding of reconciliation. Through research on reconciliation and residential schools, done by and with Indigenous communities, the collaboration will leverage the skills and knowledge of both parties: NCTR’s expertise and ability to safeguard the truths of Survivors, their families, communities and others affected by the residential school system; and SSHRC’s role to promote and support research and training in the humanities and social sciences. Finally, SSHRC has recently developed and launched the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative to offer additional financial support to Indigenous research trainees.

Equity, diversity and inclusion in research

Achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive research enterprise is essential to generate excellent, innovative and impactful research. In recent years, SSHRC and the other federal research funding agencies have undertaken several initiatives to foster a more equitable, diverse and inclusive research ecosystem in Canada. Under the leadership of the CRCC, they have developed an action plan that will guide initiatives and decisions to contribute to a system-wide transformation. The Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2018-2025 outlines measures to increase equitable and inclusive access to granting agency funding opportunities. It also details how the granting agencies can influence the achievement of an inclusive postsecondary research system and culture in Canada. Recognizing that research results and outcomes are multifaceted and can reflect multiple types of knowledge and ways of knowing, SSHRC, along with the four other major Canadian federal research funders (CIHR, NSERC, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Genome Canada), signed onto the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA is a global initiative that aims to address the negative consequences of unintended overuse of journal publication as a primary indicator of research output quality. It brings together research leaders around the world who are working to strengthen research excellence by ensuring robust, equitable and impactful measures for research assessment. In 2021, SSHRC also created the Advisory Committee to Address Anti-Black Racism in Research and Research Training to advise it on ways to break down existing barriers, to ensure equitable access for Black scholars, and to amplify their voices and enhance their visibility in SSHRC research and research training programs. In response to the advisory committee’s findings and recommendations, SSHRC is developing a strategic action plan to address anti-Black racism in the Canadian social sciences and humanities research enterprise. In addition, CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC are delivering the new Black Scholars initiative through established scholarship and fellowship programs, which strengthens the research capacity of Black scholars and enriches Canadian research and innovation. Finally, through its new Accessibility Plan (2022), SSHRC will identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility in both external-facing programs and policies and in internal-facing activities in compliance with the Accessible Canada Act.

Goal 12:
Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles

FSDS context:

Supporting the transition to a net-zero, circular economy

SSHRC contributes the Government of Canada’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and transitioning to a circular economy by implementing practices within its internal services that reduce the environmental impact of its infrastructure. In compliance with the Policy on Green Procurement (the Policy) and in support of the whole-of-government effort to promote environmental stewardship, SSHRC is fulfilling its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint by greening its acquisition operations. By adhering to the policy, SSHRC contributes to its expected results, which include leveraging the federal government’s purchasing power to achieve economies of scale when acquiring environmentally preferable goods and services; adopting more environmentally responsible planning, acquisition, use and disposal practices in the federal government; supporting a healthier workplace for employees and for citizens in general by purchasing environmentally preferable goods and services; and creating a federal government that is resilient to climate change. In keeping with the Policy‘s objectives and in response to the Greening Government Strategy, SSHRC continues to integrate environmental performance considerations into its procurement processes and to play an active role in promoting sustainable production and consumption. SSHRC also acknowledges that reducing plastic pollution and its impacts is a global priority. As such, it supports the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste, which promotes a circular economy in which plastic products and materials can be reused, remanufactured or recycled. Informed by the Strategy, the agency continues to implement procurement processes that reduce plastic pollution and waste.

In the last 12 years, SSHRC has taken the following steps to green its operations:

• promote the use of established standing offers for goods and furniture that support the Policy;
• meet with internal clients to review and plan their yearly needs; challenge them to reduce consumption; and confirm with them that the volume requested is required;
• encourage internal client groups to consider targeting greener products and share and disseminate documents electronically to reduce consumption of paper, postage and courier services;
• reinforce the purchase or the rental of recycled/reused material before acquiring goods;
• increase awareness of the Policy and green procurement practices among managers and materiel and procurement specialists.

Through these initiatives, SSHRC has ensured that 100% of its procurement specialists received the necessary training on the Policy’s requirements, enabling them to integrate environmental considerations in their decision-making processes. SSHRC also uses copy paper and commercial printing resources that contain 100% recycled material and are certified to a recognized environmental standard to reduce the environmental burden of their production. Moreover, the agency minimizes packaging waste and the use of paper documents (such as invoices) by incorporating environmental criteria in its contracts. This effort has the additional benefit of raising awareness among suppliers and motivating them to reduce their environmental impact.

Moving forward, SSHRC will continue to support relevant policies through additional initiatives, including further incorporating green criteria into its procurement operational documents and raising further awareness on green acquisition practices among employees through training. The first strategy will incorporate green criteria into the procurement’s statement of requirements and other procurement documents. This serves multiple purposes: it allows the organization to promote sustainable procurement practices, meet regulatory requirements and drive innovation. By setting clear expectations for green performance in its procurement documents, SSHRC will encourage suppliers to develop and offer innovative, environmentally friendly products and services. This will drive market transformation and enable the agency to access and adopt sustainable solutions that align with environmental goals. The second strategy, centred on employee education, involves embedding an overview of the key principles, procedures and benefits of green procurement in SSHRC’s in-house training. The training will explore topics like defining green procurement, understanding sustainable supplier selection, and implementing practices that promote environmentally friendly and sustainable behaviours.

Goal 13:
Take action on climate change and its impacts

FSDS context:

Supporting research on climate change

Through the research it funds, SSHRC increases our understanding of and abilities to address global challenges such as climate change. Social sciences and humanities researchers are investigating and shedding light on the human elements of pressing environmental issues and climate change adaptation. Their research is leading to solutions and contributing to shaping a positive future for Canadians and the world. SSHRC also leads and participates in several international and collaborative research initiatives that aim to address global challenges caused by climate change.

For example:

• Under the International stream of the interdisciplinary New Frontiers in Research Fund and on behalf of the three federal granting agencies, SSHRC is delivering the 2023 International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, a multilateral initiative involving nine international funding partners. This highly impactful call will provide $100 million over three years to fund a portfolio of international projects to develop adaptation and mitigation strategies with groups that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
• SSHRC is participating in a decarbonization project under the Global Centers initiative led by the U.S. National Science Foundation. This collaborative effort of the National Science Foundation, SSHRC, NSERC, Australia’s Commonwealth Science and Innovation Research Organization, and UK Research and Innovation will support the creation of international hubs of research excellence on the themes of climate change and clean energy that advance knowledge, empower communities and generate discovery and innovative solutions on a regional and/or global scale.
• Responding to the call for action toward sustainable agriculture to fight climate change, SSHRC, in collaboration with NSERC and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, will provide funding through the Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative for fundamental and applied research, knowledge transfer, and related activities to support transformative science that will transition the agricultural sector to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. Through this funding, the agencies will seek to catalyze multidisciplinary collaborations among university, college, government and non-academic partners in this area.
• Finally, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund and the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program both support research initiatives in two Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priorities related to climate change: Sustainable Food Systems and Clean and Resource-Rich Canada.

SSHRC will continue to explore multilateral and partnership funding opportunities, as well as fund basic research through our core programming, in fields relevant to climate change.

Greening SSHRC’s operations

SSHRC is also modernizing its workplace, systems and operations to create a work environment that is both socially and environmentally sustainable. SSHRC recently moved to a new location in the National Capital Region, joining one of the most sustainable communities in Canada. The development is committed to reducing its ecological footprint by following and applying the guiding principles of the One Planet Living sustainability framework and developing its own action plan. Because environmental sustainability is an essential pillar of that plan, this new community relies entirely on zero-carbon energy sources for its operations, including SSHRC’s new headquarters. This is being achieved by creating a district energy system focused on ensuring that all energy needs are satisfied on a net-zero carbon basis. The community also emphasizes sustainable transport options through a network of bike lanes and walking paths, public transit, car-sharing locations and electric vehicle charging points.

Through its Workplace Renewal initiative, SSHRC is embracing additional green practices, such as a digital-first policy. Moreover, the transition to a hybrid working model has provided SSHRC with a renewed opportunity to evaluate the environmental footprint of its professional output. This, paired with its new headquarters’ commitment to sustainable practices, is keeping SSHRC focused on supporting a greener workplace. In addition, the agency is developing its first business continuity plan to ensure it is well positioned to respond to disruptions, such as those caused by natural disasters and other impacts of climate change. Through these measures, SSHRC will play a leadership role in supporting the Greening Government Strategy and the Government of Canada’s commitment to reduce GHG emissions by 2050.