Shining sun

Awards

Stanford’s achievements in sustainability-focused operations and academic research have been recognized by regional, national, and international organizations. The wide spectrum of Stanford’s awards and commendations highlights the multifaceted nature of sustainability. Presented below is a selection of the most significant formal recognitions of campus sustainability initiatives in 2014-15.

  • 2015 Green Honor Roll, Princeton Review. Stanford was named as one of the most environmentally friendly schools in the nation for the second consecutive year, earning 99 points (the maximum possible) in the survey of 804 schools.
     
  • Gold rating, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Stanford earned a Gold rating under AASHE’s latest version (2.0) of its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Stanford’s raw score is the highest earned by any institution within the new framework as of the date of its submission. A total of 314 colleges and universities report into various versions of STARS.
     
  • Fourth place ranking, BestColleges.com Greenest Universities, a ranking of more than 240 schools nationwide
     
  • Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards Program, for the Stanford Energy System Innovations project. The award is California's highest environmental honor. The program recognizes individuals, organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable, voluntary contributions in conserving California's precious resources, protecting and enhancing our environment, building public-private partnerships and strengthening the state's economy.
     
  • Gold Award, Best Workplaces for Commuters, for Transportation Demand Management program. Stanford was one of 25 employers nationwide recognized in the Best Workplaces "Race to Excellence".
     
  • Platinum-Level Bicycle-Friendly University, League of American Bicyclists. This is the organization’s highest designation.

  • Parking Matters Marketing and Communications Award, International Parking Institute, The award recognizes Stanford’s outstanding marketing, public relations, and communications efforts to encourage drive-alone commuters to switch to alternative transportation. 

  • Green Restuarant Association Certification, Florence Moore Dining Hall, which had recently undergone a complete renovation. The association’s standards cover water efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable building materials and furniture, sustainable food, energy, reusables, and chemical and pollution reduction.

  • US Healthful Food Council's REAL Certification, Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE), for its use of nutrition and sustainability best practices. Modeled after the LEED® green building program, Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) Certified is the trusted, nationally recognized mark of excellence for food and foodservice operators committed to holistic nutrition and environmental stewardship.

  • Favorite Vegan-Friendly College, Peta2,  for R&DE’s commitment to serving delicious and creative vegan food in the dining halls and cafes.

  • Film Plastics Champion, RecycleMania, Stanford won first place in the Film Plastics Category of RecycleMania, collecting 2340 pounds during the competition. The university has a unique program that asks users to place their plastic bags, bubble wrap, air pillows, and shrink wrap in the paper recycling bins on campus to keep the material clean and dry so that it can be recycled into new products.

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