The GIGA sees sustainability as an important guiding principle informing its entire operations. Through its research and other activities, the GIGA strives to support society’s responses to the major challenges of today. Within the political frame of reference provided by the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it aims to focus its research, research-based knowledge exchange, and services on the goal of sustainability. At the same time, it also contributes to the achievement of this goal through the sustainable design of operational and research processes.
Sustainability as a Research Theme
The GIGA stands for best research practice, embracing both scientific excellence and social relevance. Many of the UN’s 17 SDGs and their targets are addressed by GIGA researchers in the GIGA Research Programmes. In addition, the GIGA has identified “sustainability” as one of its key strategic overarching themes, closely linked to many of the Institute’s core topics of research.
The GIGA uses its expertise to promote and develop a better understanding of sustainable development. In doing so, it actively integrates concepts, perspectives, and experiences from different world regions in its research. Among other sustainability-related topics, International Climate Policy and Politics has long been a key focus in our research.
Sustainability Management
Regarding sustainability as an organisational goal, our core focus is on:
sustainability in organisational development,
sustainability in research processes,
sustainability in personnel management, and
sustainability management in the operation of premises and infrastructure, and in procurement and mobility.
The Executive Board has appointed six team members to form the Task Force Sustainability Management, coordinated by the Managing Director. The group’s mandate is, among other tasks, to propose specific sustainability-oriented measures as well as to give advice and support on all matters related to sustainability management. As a first step, the Task Force suggested a Sustainability Mission Statement for the GIGA, approved by the Executive Board in March 2022.
While sustainability in organisational development, research processes, and personnel management is taken charge of by other GIGA bodies and units (such as the Research Council, the HR team, the Works Council, the Ethics Committee, the Ombudspersons for Good Research Practice, the Equal Opportunity Commissioners, and similar), the Task Force Sustainability Management focuses on sustainability management in the operation of premises and infrastructure as well as in procurement and mobility. A number of concrete measures have been initiated here:
Greenhouse gas accounting: The amount of CO2 generated by the GIGA was reduced from 530.94 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2019 to 410.16 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023 and 345.27 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2024; see the reports in the “Download” section of this webpage.
Electricity from renewable energy on all GIGA premises
District heating on both Hamburg premises
Only vegetarian catering at GIGA events and meetings
There are currently over 90 highly qualified scholars conducting research at the GIGA. The research carried out at the GIGA is supported by staff of the GIGA Library, Communications Department, and Administration.
As an independent, internationally oriented institution, the GIGA is highly committed to diversity, equal opportunities, and the reconciliation of work and family life. Learn more about equal opportunities at the GIGA and our institutional culture.
Join the GIGA team! Here you can find more on current vacancies in our academic and service departments as well as on our Doctoral and Visiting Fellow Programmes, on career development, and on further training.
