BEIRUT ARAB UNIVERSITY

SDG 11

SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

INDICATOR 11.4.3

Telecommuting and Flexible Working Arrangements

RECOMMENDED RESPONSE

YES

Evidence period 2021–2026

Prepared for THE Impact Rankings submission

1. Executive assessment

Beirut Arab University (BAU) can answer this indicator affirmatively. The strongest current evidence is the University’s Climate Action Plan, which expressly commits BAU to promoting telecommuting and flexible work schedules as a means of reducing commuting-related greenhouse-gas emissions. This is a direct institutional policy commitment and addresses the telecommuting or remote-working route within the indicator.

The policy commitment is supported by documented implementation. BAU’s 2020–2021 Annual Report records a University policy that made remote work from home easier, allocated on-site attendance through shifts according to operational need, and enabled remote access through secure digital systems. The 2021–2022 Annual Report then documents continued flexible arrangements, including consideration of individual working hours and employees’ ability to perform tasks from home, together with a communication and remote-work system.

The evidence therefore demonstrates a coherent sequence: operational remote-work practice, continued flexible working arrangements, and a current climate-policy commitment that connects those arrangements directly to reduced commuting emissions. BAU’s Sustainability Committee supplies the governance mechanism for monitoring sustainability objectives, recommending policies and actions, and coordinating performance data, with both Human Resources and Information Technology represented.

2. Direct institutional policy commitment

2.1 Climate Action Plan

BAU’s current Climate Action Plan is the clearest direct response to Indicator 11.4.3. Under its sustainable-transportation measures, the Plan commits the University to promote telecommuting and flexible work schedules specifically to reduce commuting-related emissions. This wording does more than permit occasional remote work: it frames flexible and remote work as an institutional climate-action measure.

The Plan also establishes broader objectives to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and promote sustainable practices among faculty and staff. Telecommuting is therefore embedded within BAU’s operational sustainability framework rather than presented solely as an emergency response.

Original evidence: BAU Climate Action Plan

Climate Action Plan for Beirut Arab University

Introduction:

Beirut Arab University recognizes the urgent need to address climate change and its impacts on Lebanon and the global community. As a responsible institution committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship, BAU is dedicated to implementing a comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CAP) aligned with the university's rules and regulations and in harmony with Lebanon's environmental priorities. This plan outlines the key strategies and initiatives that BAU will undertake to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and promote sustainability across its campuses and operations.

Goals and Objectives:

• Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Implement measures to reduce BAU's carbon footprint and transition towards a low-carbon campus.

• Enhance Climate Resilience: Strengthen BAU's resilience to climate change impacts, including extreme weather events and sea-level rise.

• Promote Sustainable Practices: Encourage sustainable behaviors among students, faculty, and staff members, and integrate sustainability principles into all aspects of university operations.

• Engage the Community: Foster partnerships with local communities, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to address climate change collectively.

• Lead by Example: Serve as a model for sustainable practices and climate action within Lebanon's higher education sector.

Strategies and Initiatives:

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy:

• Conduct energy audits to identify opportunities for energy efficiency improvements.

• Retrofit buildings with energy-efficient lighting, HVAC systems, and insulation.

• Install solar panels and other renewable energy systems to generate clean electricity on campus.

Sustainable Transportation:

• Encourage the use of public transportation, carpooling, cycling, and walking among students and staff.

• Provide incentives for electric and hybrid vehicle owners, such as preferred parking spots and charging stations.

• Promote telecommuting and flexible work schedules to reduce commuting-related emissions.

Waste Reduction and Recycling:

• Implement a campus-wide waste reduction and recycling program, including segregation at source and proper disposal of recyclable materials.

• Minimize single-use plastics and promote reusable alternatives, such as water bottles and coffee cups.

• Compost organic waste generated on campus and use compost in landscaping and agriculture.

Water Conservation:

• Install water-efficient fixtures and appliances in buildings, such as low-flow toilets and faucets.

• Implement rainwater harvesting systems to collect and store rainwater for irrigation and non-potable uses.

• Raise awareness about the importance of water conservation through educational campaigns and outreach activities.

Climate Resilience and Adaptation:

• Conduct vulnerability assessments to identify climate risks and develop adaptation strategies for infrastructure and facilities.

• Enhance green spaces and urban forests on campus to mitigate heat island effects and improve air quality.

• Incorporate climate-resilient design principles into new construction projects and campus development plans.

Curriculum Integration and Research:

• Integrate climate change and sustainability topics into BAU's academic curriculum across disciplines.

• Support research initiatives and projects focused on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

• Establish a Climate Change Research Center to facilitate interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

BAU will establish a Climate Action Committee to oversee the implementation of the CAP and monitor progress towards its goals and objectives. Regular assessments and reporting will ensure accountability and transparency, allowing BAU to adjust strategies and initiatives as needed to achieve its climate targets.

Conclusion:

By adopting this Climate Action Plan, Beirut Arab University reaffirms its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability leadership in Lebanon and beyond. Through collaboration, innovation, and collective action, BAU will strive to mitigate climate change impacts, build resilience, and create a more sustainable and resilient future for its campus community and the wider society.

2.2 Institutional SDG disclosure

BAU’s official SDG 11.4.3 evidence page states that the University has developed a formal remote-working approach and envisages a hybrid model that combines on-site and remote work. For submission purposes, this institutional disclosure is treated as supporting evidence. The Climate Action Plan and BAU’s own annual reports remain the primary evidence because they provide the clearest policy language and implementation record.

Original evidence: BAU SDG 11.4.3 institutional evidence page

Official Policy Stance on Remote Work and Telecommuting

Beirut Arab University has increasingly incorporated telecommuting and flexible work arrangements into its policies and strategic goals. In its Climate Action Policy, BAU explicitly commits to “promote telecommuting and flexible work schedules to reduce commuting-related emissions”bau.edu.lb. This reflects an institutional recognition that allowing employees to work remotely or on adjusted schedules can both improve sustainability and support work-life balance. BAU’s Human Resources department likewise emphasizes flexibility for employees; for example, the university provides staff with flexible options for absences, vacations, and early departures as part of maintaining a healthy work-life balancebau.edu.lb.

Moreover, BAU has developed a formal Remote Working Policy for its employees (both current and future staff). Under this policy, remote work is permitted for roles that can feasibly be performed off-campus, while still ensuring that on-campus operations and community engagement are maintained. In practice, the policy envisions a hybrid work model: “We embrace a hybrid approach to delivering on our commitments by determining which tasks are best delivered on campus and which can be successfully achieved remotely”bau.edu.lb. Importantly, even for staff who work partly from home, there is an expectation of regular presence on campus. The guidelines note that all remote-working staff should still attend campus on average at least one day per week, and that work should generally be done during normal business hours (approximately 8 AM to 6 PM) unless other arrangements are approvedyork.ac.uk. In short, BAU’s official stance encourages telecommuting as a flexible option – not a full replacement for campus work – balancing remote work opportunities with the need for face-to-face collaboration and campus services.

It should be noted that certain categories of university work inherently cannot be done remotely. As with most institutions, jobs involving hands-on duties (lab technicians, maintenance, on-site student services, etc.) are excluded from telecommuting by necessity. The remote working policy acknowledges that only roles (or portions of roles) suited to off-site work are eligible for such arrangements. Nonetheless, by formally endorsing a hybrid work policy, BAU signals that where feasible, both academic and administrative employees may engage in telecommuting as a matter of policy and standard practice, within the limits of their job requirements.

3. Evidence of implementation and standard practice

3.1 Remote-work policy and shift-based attendance in 2020–2021

BAU’s 2020–2021 Annual Report documents an institutional policy that made remote work from home easier for employees. It reports that employees were organised and workloads distributed so that physical attendance was determined by work requirements and managed through shifts. The same report records that academic and non-academic staff carried out duties virtually.

Although these arrangements were shaped by the pandemic context, they are relevant evidence of actual employee remote working during the five-year evidence period. They demonstrate that BAU had the organisational capability, management arrangements and digital access needed to conduct work without requiring all employees to commute every day.

Original evidence: BAU Annual Report 2020–2021

3.2 Continued flexibility in 2021–2022

The 2021–2022 Annual Report provides important continuity beyond the initial emergency phase. BAU reports flexible arrangements that considered individual working hours and employees’ ability to perform tasks from home. It links those arrangements to staff productivity and wellbeing and records the introduction of a system supporting communication and remote work.

This evidence strengthens the case that remote work was not a single isolated incident. BAU continued to recognise home-based work and flexible scheduling while campus operations were being restored, and it retained the digital and administrative systems needed to support location-independent tasks.

Original evidence: BAU Annual Report 2021–2022

4. Digital and administrative infrastructure

A remote-working commitment is credible only where staff can perform authorised tasks securely away from campus. BAU’s annual reports document the technical and administrative systems that support this capability.

• Secure remote connectivity: BAU expanded information-technology services to remote locations and provided protected access through wide-area networking and virtual private network connections.

• Remote support tools: the 2020–2021 report records tools such as AnyDesk for remote tasks and technical support, together with authentication and virtual infrastructure.

• Online human-resources services: the 2021–2022 report records an HR portal through which academic and non-academic staff could retrieve payroll information and submit applications from any location and device.

• Integrated access: the same report describes remote connections, virtual environments and single-sign-on services supporting authorised access to University systems.

Together, these systems reduce dependence on campus presence for routine administrative and digital work. They also provide the technical foundation for BAU to operationalise the Climate Action Plan’s current commitment to telecommuting and flexible schedules.

Original evidence: BAU Annual Report 2020–2021

Original evidence: BAU Annual Report 2021–2022

5. Governance, responsibility and monitoring

BAU’s Sustainability Committee is the principal institutional body responsible for monitoring approved sustainability objectives and targets and recommending policies and actions. Its membership includes the Director of Human Resources and a representative of Information Technology—two functions directly relevant to employee working arrangements and the secure systems that enable remote work.

The Committee’s responsibilities include monitoring sustainable transportation, promoting sustainable mobility, coordinating sustainability data and reporting, reviewing measurable indicators and recommending significant policy changes to the University President. It meets quarterly, providing a recurring governance mechanism through which the telecommuting commitment can be monitored and refined.

Original evidence: BAU Sustainability Committee

Sustainability Committee

1. Purpose

• The Sustainability Committee is established to provide institutional leadership, coordination, and oversight of the University’s sustainability agenda.

• The Committee supports the integration of environmental, social, and economic sustainability principles across the University’s governance, education, research, operations, campus development, and community engagement.

• It serves as the principal institutional body responsible for coordinating sustainability initiatives, monitoring progress against approved sustainability objectives and targets, and providing recommendations to University leadership on policies and actions that advance the University’s sustainability commitments.

2. Committee Membership

The Sustainability Committee shall include representatives from key academic and administrative areas of the University to ensure institution-wide participation and accountability.

Chair

Prof. Hania Nakkash – Dean of Graduate Studies and Research

Provides strategic leadership to the Committee and ensures that sustainability priorities are aligned with the University’s institutional strategy.

Vice-Chair

Dina Abou El Ez – Executive Research Administrator

Supports the Chair and assumes the Chair’s responsibilities when required.

Secretary / Sustainability Coordinator

Ms. Hala Moghrabi – Research Administrator

Coordinates Committee activities, prepares meeting agendas and minutes, maintains sustainability records and data, and follows up on agreed actions.

Committee Members

• University senior management Dr. Omar Houri – Secretary General of BAU

• Academic faculties/schools Dr. Bilal Azakir

• Sustainability or environmental management Dr. Hiba Mohsen

• Facilities and campus operations Mr. Issam Kaissi

• Engineering and maintenance Dr. Mohammad Ayache

• Finance and procurement Dr. Maggie Houchaimi

• Research and innovation Prof. Hania Nakkash – Dean of Graduate Studies and Research

• Academic affairs and curriculum development Prof. Soubhi Abou Chahine – Dean of Academic Affairs and International Relations

• Student affairs Prof. Soubhi Abou Chahine – Dean of Academic Affairs and International Relations

• Human resources Dr. Cerine Tafran – HR Director

• Health and safety Prof. Nada El Darra

• Information technology Mr. Alaa Fleyfel

• Communications and public relations Mr. Tayssir Choughari

• Quality assurance / institutional effectiveness Prof. Fatima Saleh

• Community engagement Mr. Bilal Daaboul

• Student representatives Ms. Hala Moghrabi

3. Terms of Reference

The Sustainability Committee shall:

• Provide strategic oversight of the University’s sustainability policies, strategies, plans, commitments, and institutional targets.

• Develop and recommend sustainability priorities and targets for approval by the university leadership and periodically review progress toward their achievement.

• Support the integration of sustainability into institutional planning, governance, academic activities, research, operations, procurement, infrastructure, and community engagement.

• Oversee climate action and emissions reduction, including monitoring the University’s greenhouse gas emissions and progress toward its approved carbon-reduction and net-zero commitments.

• Monitor environmental performance, including energy consumption, renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions, water management, waste and recycling, sustainable transportation, biodiversity, and responsible use of resources.

• Promote sustainability in teaching and learning by encouraging the incorporation of sustainability principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into relevant curricula and educational activities.

• Support sustainability-related research and innovation and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration addressing environmental, social, and economic sustainability challenges.

• Promote sustainable campus operations, including energy efficiency, green buildings, responsible procurement, waste reduction, water conservation, sustainable mobility, and environmentally responsible campus development.

• Strengthen social sustainability, including equality, inclusion, wellbeing, accessibility, community engagement, and responsible institutional practices.

• Coordinate sustainability data collection and reporting, ensuring that appropriate information is collected, reviewed, documented, and maintained to support institutional decision-making and external sustainability reporting.

• Review sustainability performance against established indicators, objectives, targets, and relevant national and international frameworks.

• Identify sustainability risks and opportunities and recommend appropriate actions to University leadership.

• Engage the University community by promoting awareness and participation among students, faculty, researchers, professional staff, and other stakeholders.

• Review and recommend sustainability policies and initiatives before their submission to the appropriate University authority for approval.

• Report regularly to the university leadership on sustainability performance, achievements, challenges, and recommended actions.

4. Governance and Oversight Role

The Sustainability Committee acts as the University's central coordinating and oversight body for sustainability.

The Committee shall work across academic and administrative units to ensure that sustainability responsibilities are appropriately assigned and that approved initiatives are implemented and monitored.

Individual departments and units remain responsible for implementing sustainability actions within their respective areas. The Committee provides institutional coordination, monitoring, guidance, and oversight and may request relevant information or progress updates from responsible units.

Where significant sustainability matters require institutional approval, funding, policy changes, or strategic decisions, the Committee shall submit its recommendations to the University President for consideration and approval.

5. Meetings and Decision-Making

The Sustainability Committee shall meet quarterly, with additional meetings convened when necessary.

Decisions should normally be reached by consensus. Where consensus cannot be achieved, matters may be decided by a majority vote of members present.

The Secretary shall maintain formal records of meetings, including attendance, decisions, recommendations, assigned responsibilities, and agreed deadlines.

6. Monitoring and Reporting

The Committee shall establish and periodically review measurable sustainability indicators and targets.

An annual sustainability performance review should be prepared summarizing:

• progress against sustainability objectives and targets;

• greenhouse gas emissions and progress toward the University's net-zero target;

• energy, water, waste, transportation, and other environmental indicators;

• sustainability activities in education and research;

• social and community sustainability initiatives;

• progress on relevant SDGs;

• significant achievements and areas requiring improvement; and

• priorities and actions for the following year.

The Committee shall present its findings and recommendations to the University Leadership and support the public communication of sustainability progress where appropriate.

7. Accountability

The Sustainability Committee is accountable to University President.

The Committee shall ensure that sustainability commitments are supported by measurable objectives, appropriate evidence, periodic monitoring, and transparent reporting.

8. Review of the Committee

The Committee’s membership, Terms of Reference, responsibilities, and effectiveness shall be reviewed periodically, and at least once every two years, to ensure continued alignment with the University’s strategic priorities and evolving sustainability requirements.

6. Mapping the evidence to THE Indicator 11.4.3

The following mapping separates direct evidence from supporting evidence and avoids relying on inference where BAU’s public documents do not establish a current practice.

8. Conclusion

BAU demonstrates both commitment and implementation in relation to telecommuting and flexible work. Its current Climate Action Plan explicitly promotes telecommuting and flexible schedules to reduce commuting-related emissions. Its annual reports document employee remote work, work-from-home capability, flexible hours, shift-based attendance and the digital systems required to support those arrangements. The Sustainability Committee provides an institutional oversight structure that connects sustainability, Human Resources, Information Technology, monitoring and policy development.

Accordingly, BAU should answer YES to THE Impact Rankings Indicator 11.4.3. This conclusion does not depend on a condensed working week, and the University should avoid claiming a permanent compressed-week arrangement unless a current approved policy or implementation record becomes available.

9. Original evidence register

All links below lead to BAU’s original institutional sources. The annual reports fall within the requested 2021–2026 evidence period; the current policy and governance pages provide the continuing institutional framework.

Evidence review date: 16 October 2026