Nick Yee, Specialist in Workplace Strategy & Employee Experience, UBC
As a significant part of UBC Vancouver’s staff and faculty orientation experience, Nick Yee prioritizes sharing knowledge about UBC’s sustainability initiatives as soon as possible. As a UBC alum, from the Sauder School of Business, Yee’s work as a Sustainability Coordinator is vital to the program's growth.
Before his role as the Specialist in Workplace Strategy and Employee Experience at UBC, Yee worked at Arc’teryx, a Canadian apparel company. Supporting HR and employee experience for about two years, Yee credits this experience for his passion for sustainability. “Working at Arc’teryx, sustainability was a big thing. As a company, we tried to focus on sustainable design in all products, to create a durable product that customers can use for 10 to 20 years.” Yee also shared that there was a lot of talk about specific initiatives such as reducing carbon footprint in sourcing or retail, creating a lot of emphasis on “what can each person do in their role or area of work to support overall company objectives, which UBC does similarly with the Climate Action Plan.”
Tasked with revamping the orientation experience when he joined the team in 2022, Yee noticed some missing elements like sustainability initiatives at UBC and hoped to embed them in the onboarding experience. Yee reached out to Campus & Community Planning and the team managing the Climate Action Plan to support their work in promoting the programs at the orientation level, because of which Yee signed up for the Sustainability Coordinators program.
The orientation now has a section dedicated to sustainability at UBC on Canvas, and features booths for different programs during the in-person event. “It allows us to let new hires interact and learn more about ways they can get involved, like the SC program, because you get to meet people from different parts of campus with a similar interest in sustainability, share best practices, and connect.” Additionally, Yee believes new hires are searching for something more than administrative information at an event like this, like finding something that aligns with their values and interests. He stated, “I think that’s something that gives people a lot of purpose at work outside of their role and helps enhance their experience here.”
With the SC program being board-approved; Yee shared that the top-down alignment with such initiatives is always appreciated by new hires, among other positive feedback about the sustainability initiatives shared through the orientation. As part of the orientation experience, Yee has also tried to be mindful of providing more sustainable and vegan food options. His work has also extended into his life outside of the workplace; choosing to commute by public transit, buying local, and being more intentional with appreciating the nature in and around Vancouver.
In the future, Yee hopes to continue promoting the programs underway at C+CP, incorporating more about the sustainable transportation program. For any curious folks who are looking to join the SC program, Yee shared, “It can only be a benefit to you to join the Sustainability Coordinator Program. Our ability to commit will fluctuate as we are busier or less busy at different parts of our journey at UBC and that is okay. However, being part of the SC program, I believe you can engage in ways that work with you.”