Media Release: Mohawk earns STARS (Silver) Rating for Sustainability Achievements
HAMILTON, ONTARIO: A commitment to sustainable campuses has earned Mohawk College a STARS (Silver) rating from the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. With more than 650 participants on six continents, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in four overall areas: operations, academics, engagement, and planning and administration.
Mohawk earned a silver rating for integrating sustainability into academic programs and engaging students and the community through outreach initiatives. The AASHE recognized Mohawk’s ongoing commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and incorporating sustainable building practices into campus construction and renovation projects.
Mohawk’s STARS report is available on the STARS website: https://stars.aashe.org/institutions/mohawk-college-on/report/2016-01-25/
QUOTES:
“Further strengthening our leadership in sustainability is a strategic priority for Mohawk. It’s not enough for us to teach sustainability to our students. We need to lead by example and create opportunities for our students, faculty, staff and community partners to get directly involved in helping build an even more sustainable college.”
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts. Mohawk has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS (Silver) Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
Fast Facts
- STARS is considered to be a global standard for the measurement of sustainability in higher education.
- 767 institutions have registered to use the STARS tool, and 290 of those institutions have received rankings (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)
- 58 Canadian colleges and universities have registered to use the STARS tool, and 30 of those institutions have received ratings: 4 Bronze; 14 Silver; 12 Gold; 0 Platinum
- Reporting is done once every 3 years. Mohawk will use this time to implement improvements aimed at achieving a Gold Rating.
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For more information contact:
Alan Griffiths, Manager, Sustainability Office
Alan.griffiths@mohawkcollege.ca
905-575-1212, ext. 4168
Meghan Fay Zahniser, Executive Director
AASHE
meghan@aashe.org
(888) 347-9997
Mohawk College educates and serves more than 29,500 full-time, part-time, apprenticeship and international students at three main campuses in Hamilton, Ontario and learning hubs across Hamilton through City School by Mohawk, and at the College’s Centre for Aviation Technology at the Hamilton International Airport. Mohawk is among the top five colleges for applied research in Canada. It has been named one of Canada’s greenest employers seven years in a row, holds a GOLD STARS rating from AASHE for sustainability achievements and is home to the country’s largest and first institutional building to receive dual certification for Zero Carbon Building Framework design and performance for The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation. More than 135,000 people have graduated from Mohawk since it was founded.