Columbia University Facilities and Operations received a City & State 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Award in Sustainability for its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint and advance sustainable initiatives on campus. Assistant Vice President of Environmental Stewardship Jessica Prata accepted the award on behalf of Columbia at City & State's Corporate Social Responsibility breakfast reception on July 28, 2016 at New York University. New York City’s Chief Resilience Officer Daniel Zarrilli delivered keynote remarks at the event, which also featured a panel discussion on current trends in sustainability.
“I am proud to accept this award on behalf of our partners across campus who collaborate to lead the way to a more sustainable environment in our local communities and across the globe,” said Prata.
The Office of Environmental Stewardship has collaborated with partners across campus to help create a “living lab,” where students, faculty and staff work together to brainstorm ideas, test concepts and implement new programs to enhance sustainability on campus. The office has also kicked-off a University-wide sustainability planning process, which includes the adoption of high-level campus sustainability principles, the formation of focus teams to advance us in key areas of campus operations and energy, and the creation of a Senior Sustainability Advisory Committee. The process will culminate with the release of Columbia’s first Sustainability Plan in 2017, which will serve as the University’s roadmap for a cleaner and healthier future.