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 2024, 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 Diversity & Affordability and Research, and for its innovative ASCEND Initiative that will enhance curricular and research opportunities for faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Yale.
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.
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Purchaser Award
Yale was ecognized as a 2024 EPEAT Purchaser Award Winner for its leadership in sustainable electronics procurement by the Global Electronics Council (GEC). The EPEAT Purchaser Awards honor organizations demonstrating outstanding leadership in and commitment to sustainability by procuring EPEAT registered products. In 2023, Yale’s sustainable purchasing decisions reduced over 1,100 metric tons of CO2e, which is the same as taking 255 US passenger cars off the road for a year.
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
Princeton Review Green Guide
The Princeton Review featured Yale in its
2025 Guide to 511 Green Colleges, awarding a green rating of 95 out of 99 possible points for its performance as an environmentally aware and prepared institution. Yale was previously featured in the top 50 green colleges as part of the
2016 Guide to 361 Green Colleges, having been highlighted for its bike-share program, LEED-certified buildings, and GHG emissions inventory, among other accomplishments. 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.
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
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.
