Yale is frequently recognized as a model and leader for its contributions to sustainability. Here are some recent honors and awards.
AASHE STARS
In 2022, Yale earned a gold rating through STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, which is administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Yale achieved this rating based on sustainability efforts in academics; engagement; operations; planning and administration; and innovation. The University last participated in STARS in 2020. While the STARS tool is helpful to compare sustainability initiatives across participating institutions, Yale’s most comprehensive reporting can be found in annually updated Progress Reports that track progress toward university sustainability goals.
AASHE Sustainable Campus Index
In 2023, Yale was featured in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) annual Sustainable Campus Index. Yale was recognized as a top performer under the categories of Research and Diversity & Affordability.
Bicycle Friendly University
Yale received the Silver-level Bicycle Friendly University award from the League of American Bicyclists in 2023. In 2017, Yale was one of only 20 universities in the country to receive gold-level designation.
Connecticut Climate Leadership Award
In May 2007, Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell recognized Yale University and President Richard Levin as one of seven recipients of the Connecticut Climate Leadership Award lauding Yale’s leadership in tackling climate change by adopting aggressive carbon reduction targets, and encouraging its peers to do the same.
ISCN Sustainable Campus Excellence Award
In 2019, Yale received the Cultural Change for Sustainability Award from the International Campus Sustainability Network. This honor is given to an institution that demonstrates the ISCN’s commitment to “create an environment that cultivates resilient, empowered, caring and engaged students, staff, and faculty who will contribute to the health of people and places.”
Kaplan College Guide
Kaplan included Yale in its feature of 25 green campuses in its 2009 College Guide.
KIWI Magazine Green College Report
In Fall 2008 family publication KIWI Magazine included Yale in its feature on the 75 greenest colleges. The magazine’s editorial staff told the Yale Daily News that the Yale Sustainable Food Project, the Energy Task Force, and Yale Environment 360 contributed to this recognition.
Princeton Review Green Guide
The Princeton Review featured Yale in its top 50 green colleges as part of the 2016 Guide to 361 Green Colleges. Colleges are selected based on their sustainability achievements in food purchasing, transportation, green buildings, waste diversion, energy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and academic courses of study. The 2016 Guide highlights Yale’s bike-share program, LEED-certified buildings, and GHG emissions inventory, among other accomplishments. Yale was also featured in the 2019 “Guide to 413 Green Colleges,” receiving a green rating of 95 out of 99 possible points.
Princeton Review Honor Roll
The Princeton Review placed Yale on the Green Rating Honor Roll in its 2011 college guide. The Honor Roll recognizes colleges which have earned the highest possible score (99 points) for achievement in sustainability in areas such as food, waste and energy systems, construction, and student engagement. Among other efforts, the Princeton Review cites Yale’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction commitment, and cutting-edge technology as evidence of sustainable leadership.
QS World University Rankings: Sustainability
Yale was ranked #76 out of more than 1,300 universities across the world assessed in the 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Sustainability Rankings. The annual QS Sustainability Rankings provide students with a unique lens on which institutions are committed to sustainability by evaluating the social and environmental impact of universities as centers of sustainability education and research.
Sierra Club
In fall 2008, the Sierra Club, and environmental advocacy organization, gave Yale an honorable mention in its evaluation of campus sustainability efforts, noting both the University’s climate commitment and the Yale Sustainable Food Program.
Sierra Magazine’s Cool Schools
In 2012, Sierra Magazine rated Yale University in the top 10 Cool Schools for the year, noting Yale’s robust Greenhouse Gas Emissions goal and academic programs.
Sustainable Endowment Institute’s College Sustainability Report Card
In 2011, Yale earned a sustainability grade of A, with perfect scores in eight of nine areas. Endowment Transparency, which earned a B, improved significantly from the previous year, largely due to more active communication and engagement about the Yale Investment Office’s policies.