Coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, September 18th through the 26th is Global Goals Week. Central to that agenda are the Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the SDGs, which aim to address major global challenges: from the fight against poverty or climate change to education, health, gender equality, peace and the sustainability of cities.
The UN Global Compact (UNGC) is the largest corporate social responsibility initiative in the world, which encourages and supports companies and institutions to help make the SDGs a reality. The Art Nouveau Site, as part of the Foundation of the Santa Creu i Sant Pau, participates in the UNGC and is committed to fulfilling the SDG targets through its actions, programmes and activities. Would you like to know how?
Sustainability, the guide in the restoration of the art nouveau pavilions
Sustainable development is, without a doubt, one of the greatest challenges facing society.
At Sant Pau, sustainability was one of the principles that guided the rehabilitation process that began in 2009. The main objective was to restore the original appearance of the buildings while adhering to strict environmental criteria. A new geothermal energy, system, renewable materials, energy efficiency and rainwater recovery features are just some of the measures that improve the environmental performance and reduce the impacts of the site. Six LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certifications attest to the sustainability of the different pavilions and the Art Nouveau Site as a whole.
However, our work did not stop there. With the goal of progressively reducing Sant Pau’s environmental impact, the Foundation has recently introduced improvements in waste management at the Art Nouveau Site, thus increasing the capacity for selection and recycling.
Responsible tourism
In 2017, the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site obtained the Biosphere Certification, which promotes a model of responsible tourism with regard to the environment and social impacts, as well as the protection and dissemination of cultural heritage. At the same time, the former site of the hospital has become one of Barcelona’s main cultural assets.
Care for the environment, committed to the community
Since opening the site to the public in 2014, we have strengthened our relationship with the community around us, so that the neighbours still experience the old hospital as part of their lives. Among other actions, we have promoted the Friends of the Art Nouveau Site Program, through which residents in the Guinardó, Baix Guinardó, the Sagrada Familia and the Camp de l’Arpa neighbourhoods have free access to visit the site and enjoy benefits and discounts on cultural activities. Sant Pau is committed to a management model that promotes sustainability in the city and surrounding community.
Moreover, we have recently launched Solidarity Sundays, charity days in favour of social, scientific and healthcare projects promoted by the Sant Pau Hospital and other related entities.
Commitment to education
At Sant Pau, we believe that heritage plays a key role in children’s cultural education. That is why we have cultivated a close relationship with the educational community, schools and organisations working with girls and boys at risk of social exclusion. For example, we collaborate with the Federation of Child and Adolescent Care Organizations (FEDAIA), providing free admission to 100,000 children and 35,000 families who participate in some of their programs. Likewise, through the Free Programme of Barcelona’s Municipal Institute of Education, we grant scholarships to 330 children in the city to enjoy an annual guided school visit. Also, in the current context of the pandemic, we are going one step further by making it possible for the city’s primary, secondary and high school students to visit the Art Nouveau Site for free accompanied by their teachers.
Our commitment to education is also evident in the Art Nouveau Site’s participation in the Bofill Foundation’s Magnet Program. As part this initiative, Sant Pau has partnered with the Mas Casanovas School, a centre of high complexity, to accompany them on their path towards pedagogical innovation.
These are just a few of the measures and projects with which the Sant Pau Foundation and the Art Nouveau Site make effective their commitment to the implementation of the SDGs and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. You can find out about the other projects in detail at through the Communication of Progress report.