Risto Tenhunen

President

Certification of Sustainable Development

in Lifelong Learning

ECO-ONE

FINLAND

Background

Environmental Criteria and Certification 2004

• Initiative for environmental certification was taken

by the Trade Union of Education in Finland (2000)

• EU Life Environment project ”ENVEDU” 2001-2004: development of

the environmental criteria and the certification system

Sustainability Criteria and Certification 2010: environmental, economic,

social and cultural sustainability in teaching, management and school culture

NATIONAL TARGETS, Strategies of Education for Sustainable

Development (Finnish National Commission on SD, Ministry of

Education, 2006):

• All schools and educational establishments have sustainable development

programs by 2010

• 15% of schools and educational establishments have been certified for their

sustainability work by 2014

Target groups and aims Target groups for environmental and sustainability certification:

Schools and educational establishments in Basic education, General and

Vocational Upper Secondary Education (age group 7-19 year old students)

and in Adult education and Liberal adult education (Criteria 2013).

Aims of the certification system

• Development of the quality of teaching, learning environment and

operation of educational establishments

• Implementation of education for sustainable development in

teaching and school culture with a comprehensive approach

Students’ awareness and commitment to sustainable development

Sustainability-skilled students to working life

Improved safety, wellbeing and cooperation of the staffs and students

Cost savings in the operation of schools (waste, water, energy, etc.)

School’s responsible profile (certification)

Impacts

Strategy for Education and Training for

Sustainable Development and

Implementation Plan 2006–2014

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable

Development, Sub-committee for Education

National Strategies of ESD (2006)

National Strategy for Sustainable

development

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable

Development

Sustainable development in education;

Implementation of Baltic 21 E

-programme and Finnish strategy for

the Decade of Education for Sustainable

Development (2005-2014)

Ministry of Education

Covers all sectors of the

society, refers to the

targets set in the strategy

of Sub-committee for

Education

Formal AND informal

education system

Only formal education

system, targets for

different levels of

education

Co

ord

inatio

n

SD/ESD in the National Core Curricula and

Vocational Qualifications National core curricula and qualifications set regulations for local curricula

prepared by education providers (typically municipalities, educational

federations of municipalities or foundations).

Education level Integration of SD in the core curriculum/qualifications

Higher Education (Universities

and Polytechnics), Liberal Adult

Education Institutions

• Independent institutions, no national core curricula

• SD is a paragraph in the performance agreements made

between the Ministry of Education and

universities/polytechnics

Vocational Upper Secondary

Education

New core qualifications i2007-

2010

• Key lifelong learning skill

• SD included in the modules of qualifications based on the

skill requirements of the vocational field in question

• Evaluation of SD skills integrated in skills demonstrations

General Secondary Education

Core curriculum 2003

New curriculum under work

Basic Education

Core curriculum 2004

• Value basis

• Pedagogical approach

• Learning environment

• Cross-curricular themes

• Subject targets and contents

Pre-primary Education

Core curriculum 2000

• General targets for learning and education

• Environment and nature studies

Finnish Sustainable Development

Certification of Educational

establishments

SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA

1. Planning

2. Implementation

• Sustainability themes

• Teaching

3. Follow-up, evaluation

and development

TRAINING

COURSES

• Construction of

SD programs

• 2002-2012:

over 1000

teachers

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS

• Integration of SD in teaching and school culture

• Promotion of wellbeing of students and teachers

• Certificates 5/2013: 58 educational establishments

Certification management:

• The OKKA Foundation

for teaching, education

and personal

development

Cooperation partners:

• Ministry of Education

• Ministry of the Environment

• National Board of Education

• Trade Union of Education in

Finland

• Co-operative Eco-One

• Sykli Environmental School of

Finland

• Finnish Association for

Environmental Education

• Universities and polytechnics

MATERIALS

• Instructions

• Evaluation

tools

• www-pages

AUDITOR

NETWORK

• 65 auditors

• External audits

• Development of

certification

Teaching

Management

Learning environment

and school culture

Co-operation

with external

partners

Implementation of SD in schools and

educational establishments

Arvot

• Environmentally friendly procurements

• Saving materials, energy and water

• Re-use, recycling and sorting of waste

• Green transport

• Safe use of hazardous substances

Ecological

sustainability

• Respect of life and nature

• Moderation and economy

• Mental and physical health

• Global justice, rights of generations

to come

• Equality and mutual respect

• Diversity of values and culture

• Democracy

• Occupational health and

safety, ambience of premises

• Wellbeing and equality of staff

and students

• Access for disabled people

• Ethical, safe and healthy

procurements

• Prevention of exclusion,

racism, and mental and

physical violence

• Openness, cooperation and

possibilities of participation

• Creating contacts to local

community

Social

sustainability

• Economy, eco-efficiency and

lifecycle of products, e.g.,

- procurements

- saving materials and energy

- re-use, sharing, renting and

borrowing of products

- sorting and recycling of waste

• Use of Fare trade products

Cultural sustainability

• Local cultural traditions and

customs

• Conservation of cultural

environment

• Cultural diversity as part of

everyday school life

Economic

sustainability

Elements of

sustainable

development in

school culture

School values

• Real estate maintenance

• Optimization of transports

• Multi-use premises

(Laininen, Manninen,

Tenhunen, 2006)

Pedagogical approach of ESD (Sustainable Development Criteria for Educational Establishments)

2. Cognitive skills

• Understanding the wholeness of SD

issues and function of nature, society

and global systems (systems thinking)

• Search, evaluation and interpretation of

information related to SD, critical

assessment of human actions and

one’s own lifestyle

(critical thinking)

• Deepening one’s personal relationship

to the environment, constructing

sustainable lifestyle

and future (future thinking)

3. Action skills and

experiences

• Learning of sustainable ways of

action as part of teaching and

everyday school life

• Experiences in nature, constructed,

social, economic and cultural

environments

• Genuine possibilities for participation

and influencing in school, participative

projects in the local community

1. Knowledge of the

environment

• Knowledge of ecological, economic,

social and cultural environment, SD

issues and possibilities of

influencing

The criteria describe the performance of an exemplary level. The evaluation

of the criteria fulfilment is based on a four-step scale familiar from quality

assessment models. The general model below has been adopted to the

elaboration of evaluation scales for each individual criterion.

Fulfilment of the criteria

Lacking

(0 points)

Starting

(1 point)

Developed

(2 points)

Established

(3 points)

The educational

establishment has

neither planned nor

started activies

described in the

criterium.

The educational

establishment has

planned activities

described in the

criterion and started

implementation.

The educational

establishment has

implemented

activities described in

the criterium at least

for a period of one

season.

The educational

establishment has

established

permanent ways of

actions to secure the

operation according

to the criterion.

The starting level

and needs of

improvement

identified, actions

started.

Evidence of

continuing

activity

according to the

criterion.

Contunuity of

activity is secured

by ways of actions

described e.g. in

the quality system.

• One of the challenges of working life is finding procedures and

solution models consistent with Sustainable development

• The Adult-SD –project created tools for improvement in

Sustainable development for further qualification in

vocational education

• The project was executed as a network project, wich was

coordinated by Hyria

• Other project partners were Tavastia Education Consortium,

Savo Consortium for Education, PSK-Adult Education Centre,

the OKKA Foundation, Cooperative Eco-One and SYKLI

Enviromental School of Finland

• Funding: National board of education and implemented 1.8.2011-

31.03.2013

The Adult-SD –project - the contents, methods and

criteria of Sustainable development in Adult education

Sustainable development criteria

Self-evaluation form

Pedagogical model to adult vocational eduation.

The Educational partners role was to act as the piloting of models

and tools.

Expert groups role was the development of tools and models.

The main goals and actions of the project

Piloted sectors of vocational education and

Qualifications

Tavastia, 4 degrees

• Vocational Qualification in Institutional cleaning

• Vocational Qualification for Hotel Receptionists

• Special Vocational Qualification in Household and Cleaning

Services

• Special Vocational Qualification in Hotel, Restaurant and Catering

Services

SAKKY, 2 degrees

• Vocational Qualification in Institutional cleaning

• Special Vocational Qualification in Hotel, Restaurant and Catering

Services

HYRIA, 2 degrees

• Vocational Qualification in Hiking and Nature Guide Services

• Vocational Qualification in Arboriculture

PSK, 2 degrees

• Vocational Qualification in Sales

• Special Vocational Qualification in Management

VOCATIONAL COMPETENCE FOR

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

MOTIVATION

INNER DESIRE

TO LEARN

SKILLS /

ATTITUDES

EMPOWER-

MENT

KNOWLEDGE AND

SKILLS FOR SD

IMPORTANCE OF SD

VOCATIONAL

COMPETENCES

Free

translation

Objectives

• Sustainability criteria and self-evaluation tool to Liberal Adult

Education organizations

• Supporting the development and networking of the participating

organizations

Resources

• Development of criteria: Financed by Minister of Environment

(OKKA) 2012-2013

• Teachers training: Financed by NBE (Visio) 2012-2014

• 20 piloting organizations

Liberal Adult Education for

sustainable development criteria

Implementation

1. Planning of criteria draft (5/2012 – 10/2012)

• The OKKA Foundation, Eco-One, the pilot organizations

representatives

2. Testing of criteria in pilot organizations (11/2012 – 1/2013)

• Self-evaluation, feedback on the functionality of criteria and tools

• Strengths and improvement needs in assistance to the

organizations development work

3. Making of the final criteria (1/2013 – 9/2013)

• Finishing of the criteria according to the feedback

• The criteria will be confimed by the board of OKKA Foundation

• Making of instructions and self-evaluation tools

• Making of printed publication and web-tool

Goal: Adult liberal education institutes have the possibility to apply

for a sertificate in autumn 2013.

3. EVALUATE

1. Stragetic management

2. Legal requirements

3. Organization and resources

4. Sustainable development program

5. Teaching:objectives, contents,

methods and learning environments

6. Operational culture

7. Companionships and projects

8. Evaluation and development

Adult liberal education sustainable

development criteria sectors (proposal)

1. P

LA

N

2. IM

PLE

ME

NT

4. IM

PR

OV

E

4) Sustainable development program

Criteria 5: The Adult Educational Centre has a sustainable development program

or other action plan which contains targets and means of implementation to

promote the sustainable development themes. The staff and the students

participate in the selection of the themes and planning of the sustainable

development program. The Adult Educational Centre has no sustainable development program or other

action plan which contains targets and means of implementation to promote the

sustainable development.

0 p

The Adult Educational Centre has selected a SD aspects for their sustainable

development program based by development needs.

Which themes of sustainable development have been selected?

1 p Which criteria were used for selection?

How was the review of themes done?

Evaluation criteria 5 Lacking (0 points)

The Adult

Educational Centre

has not sustainable

development

program or other

action plan which

contains targets and

means of

implementation to

promote the

sustainable

development

themes.

Starting (1 points)

The Adult

Educational Centre

has selected a SD

aspects for their

sustainable

development

program based by

development needs.

The themes have

been selected based

on needs and values

of the organisation.

Developed (2 points)

The Adult

Educational Centre

has sustainable

development

program or other

action plan which

contains targets and

means of

implementation,

responsibilities,

timetables,

resources and

indicators to

selected themes.

The staff has

participated in the

planning of the

program.

Established (3 points)

The Adult

Educational Centre

has established

procedures to

update SD program

or other action plan.

Folk High School:

Students have

participated in the

planning of the

program.

Ecological and economic

sustainability

Social and cultural

sustainability Responsible procurements and

sustainable consumption (also social

and cultural sustainability)

Recycling and prevention of waste

Energy and water

Transports and traffic

Nutrition and health (also social and

cultural sustainability)

Management and maintenance of the

school premises and surroundings

Own theme (ecological/economic

sustainability)

Safety of the educational

establishment

Wellbeing of the staff and the students

Prevention of bullying and exclusion

Organization of students’ support

services

Cultural environment and traditions

Cultural diversity and internationality

Own theme (social/cultural

sustainability)

Sustainability themes in the criteria

1. Selection of

annual themes

2. Review of the

selected themes

3. Sustainable

development (SD)

programme

4. Implementation

of the program in

teaching and

school culture

5. Evaluation and

development of

operation

Participation of

the staff, students

and stakeholders

Using the criteria themes for continuous

improvement (SD programme)

Supporting material (website)

SD Criteria

Self-evaluation

check-lists

1. Planning, evaluation

and development

2. Implementation of

themes

3. Implementation of

teaching

Examples: implementation of

themes

Construction of SD

programme Four-step descriptions of performance

level for each criteria

Future development:

• Web-based self-evaluation system

• Case bank (certified educational establishments)

• Auditors’ forum

EVALUATION

TOOLS INSTRUCTIONS

Self-evaluation

Applying the certificate

Auditors’ instructions

Continuous improvement

Theory: ESD model

behind the criteria

The educational

establishment

conducts a self-

evaluation.

An authorized auditor

checks the report and

conducts an on-site

external audit.

The auditor gives

the educational

establishment a statement

about the fulfillment of

the criteria.

The educational

establishment does the

corrective actions, which

are then verified by the

auditor.

Things to be

improved

Criteria

fulfilled The educational

establishment can

apply for the

Certificate from the

OKKA-Foundation.

Applying the Sustainable Development

Certificate

Mr. Risto Tenhunen

President

Co-operative ECO-ONE

Keskustie 6

FIN-01900 Nurmijärvi, Finland

E-mail: risto.tenhunen@eco-one.fi

Infopage in English: www.koulujaymparisto.fi/sivu.php?id=1820

CONTACT INFORMATION

The OKKA Foundation is a foundation for teaching, education and

personal development supporting the educational sector. Its

founding organisations are the Trade Union of Education in Finland

OAJ and several teachers’ associations in vocational sector.

The Co-operative ECO-ONE is training and consulting organisation

in the the educational sector. Many national and international

developments projects since 1995.