For the third year in a row, the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø received a grade of A- on the College Sustainability Report Card, issued by the Sustainability Endowments Institute.
This is the only independent sustainability evaluation of campus operations and endowment investments.
“The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is committed to be all it can to minimize our impact on the environment,” said ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø President Mark Emmert. “This grade of A- reflects the work of countless people who have found innovative ways to make the University more sustainable. There is still a great deal more to do, and we continue to work hard at it every day.”
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø received a grade of A in six of the nine categories: administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, transportation and investment priorities. It received a B in the remaining categories: student involvement, endowment transparency and shareholder engagement. The report card identified the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø as one of 16 Overall College Sustainability Leaders among the 300 institutions surveyed.
The report card noted that the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is a signatory to the Presidents Climate Commitment and is in the process of developing a campus climate plan. The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s electrical purchases for the Seattle campus are from 100 percent renewable sources and are carbon neutral. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø food services emphasize local organic and natural foods. All new state-funded buildings and major renovations must meet a LEED standard of at least Silver. The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø offers many transportation options that discourage the use of single-occupancy vehicles. The university’s investment policies state that due consideration should be given to the degree of corporate responsibility exercised by those companies considered for investment.