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Emory recognized with multiple sustainability awards in 2023
two individuals near tractor in field

Emory University received multiple awards from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in 2023, including recognition for the Working Farms Fund partnership with The Conservation Fund.

— Emory Photo/Video

In 2023, Emory University received national recognition for its continued progress in advancing sustainability across the enterprise.

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) ranked Emory in the top 10 of its 2023 Sustainable Campus Index in three separate categories: Food and Dining; Campus Engagement; and Purchasing. These rankings are derived from the triennial report from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), a transparent, self-reporting framework allows colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. Since submitting its first STARS report in 2011, Emory has maintained a gold rating and continues to strive to improve its ranking. The recent AASHE rankings were derived from the STARS report Emory submitted in 2021.

Emory University was honored with the prestigious Campus Sustainability Achievement Award by AASHE for the “Working Farms Fund: Partnership to Build a Sustainable Local Food System and Support a Diverse New Generation of Farmers,” together with The Conservation Fund. Emory entered this innovative model while working toward its goal to secure 75% of the university’s food from local and sustainable providers.

Peggy Barlett, the Goodrich C. White Professor Emerita of Anthropology at Emory, received a Lifetime Achievement Award for her leadership in developing Emory's Piedmont Project, an interdisciplinary summer development program that offers faculty and administrators the tools and connections to infuse sustainability and environmental issues into the classroom. Barlett was instrumental in founding the Piedmont Project, training more than 640 faculty members from 350 institutions and catalyzing a widespread adoption of sustainability-focused curricula across the country and the world.

For the third consecutive year, Emory University ranked in the top 10 of Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Colleges. Each selected school has exceptional programs, policies and practices related to sustainability and the environment.


To learn more about sustainability work at Emory, visit the Office of Sustainability Initiatives website.


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