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Kota Kinabalu: A recycling centre fully funded by a private company is among the many initiatives to be taken by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) in its drive to achieve eco-campus status by the year 2017.UMS and the company, Hattareka Perunding Sdn Bhd, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to underscore their cooperation and understanding on the importance of conserving and protecting the environment.

The university's main focus, this year, would be to reduce their carbon footprint, said UMS Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd Harun Abdullah.

"We will train each staff member involved in the Environmental Management System (EMS), implement an environmental audit, establish a 'green mechanism', organise the first Regional Conference of Campus Sustainability while also implementing a few 'milestone projects', one of which is the recycling centre," he said during the MoU signing ceremony.

Harun said UMS launched the eco-campus drive since early 2013 and had organised many activities towards realising their 2017 goal.

"UMS launched the EcoCampus Blueprint last year while also establishing the EcoCampus Management Centre.

Seminars and programmes were also organised to raise awareness of students and staff members of this institution.

"Apart from that, UMS has also become a member of the International Sustainable Campus Network and has contributed to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the South East Asian Sustainability Network," he said.

Meanwhile, Harun thanked Hattareka for their Corporate Social Responsibility in funding the recycling centre in the university and also hoped for stronger cooperation between UMS and Hattareka, especially through programmes that aim at raising awareness of the public about the importance of conserving the environment.