Overall Rating Platinum
Overall Score 91.10
Liaison Alex Davis
Submission Date Feb. 28, 2023

STARS v2.2

Arizona State University
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Alex Davis
Asst. Director
University Sustainability Practices
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Measurable sustainability objectives 

Academics

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in curriculum and/or research?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:
From ASU's "Sustainability Goals and vision" (https://cfo.asu.edu/sustainability-goals-and-vision)

- Achieve comprehensive sustainability literacy by university community members by Fiscal Year 2024.
- Ensure students graduate with at least one sustainability learning outcome by Fiscal Year 2024.

These objectives support ASU's "Personal Action" goal: https://cfo.asu.edu/personal-action

Engagement 

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address student, employee, or community engagement for sustainability?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:
From ASU's "Sustainability Goals and vision" (https://cfo.asu.edu/sustainability-goals-and-vision)

- Achieve an adoption of sustainability behaviors by campus community members by Fiscal Year 2024.
- Achieve a culture of sustainability within the university community by Fiscal Year 2024.

These objectives support ASU's "Personal Action" goal: https://cfo.asu.edu/personal-action

Operations

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:
From ASU's "Sustainability Goals and vision" (https://cfo.asu.edu/sustainability-goals-and-vision)

Goal: Circular resource system (https://cfo.asu.edu/circular-resource-system)
Objectives:
- Achieve 30 percent aversion by fiscal year 2025.
- Achieve 90 percent diversion by fiscal year 2025.
- Annually increase value of diverted materials in hierarchy of reuse.
- Annually improve the aversion and re-circulation characteristics of products and services purchased.
- Annually reduce landfill-destined single-use plastics to prevent items ending up in our oceans and natural waterways

Goal: Climate positive (https://cfo.asu.edu/climate-positive)
Objectives:
- Achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by FY 2025.
- Achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 3 emissions by FY 2035.

Goal: Optimized water (https://cfo.asu.edu/optimized-water)
Objectives:
- Achieve 15 percent reduction in water imported to the university by fiscal year 2023.
- Incorporate university research into water and wastewater operations to harvest energy and nutrients from university effluent by fiscal year 2025.

Administration

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address diversity, equity, and inclusion; sustainable investment/finance; or wellbeing?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:
2022 Enterprise Strategic Plan
https://president.asu.edu/sites/default/files/2022-02/abor_asu_state_of_university_strategic_enterprise_plan_crow_021022.pdf

Goals:
- Maintain the fundamental principle of accessibility to all students qualified to study at a research university.
- Maintain university accessibility to match Arizona’s socioeconomic diversity, with undifferentiated outcomes for success.
- Ensure that more than 90% of students continue studies beyond their first year.
- Enhance university graduation rate to greater than 85% and more than 40,000 graduates.
- Continuously enhance quality while maintaining affordability.

LIFT:
https://president.asu.edu/commitment

Example goals:
- Prioritize the practice of cluster hiring to recruit and retain leading faculty members from underrepresented groups with the goal to recruit at least ten positions each year for the next five years.
- Establish 50 new graduate assistantships over the next two to three years for underrepresented students.


Diversity Plan: Building Blocks for Success Through People, Programming and Policies:
https://www.asu.edu/provost/downloads/Diversity_Plan.pdf

Part 2. Sustainability in institution’s highest guiding document

Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
Yes

The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
Website URL where the institution’s highest guiding document is publicly available:
Which of the following best describes the inclusion of sustainability in the highest guiding document?:
Major theme

Optional Fields

The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
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Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
No

The formal statement in support of sustainability:
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The institution’s definition of sustainability:
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Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
Yes or No
The Earth Charter No
The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) Yes
ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter No
Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability No
SDG Accord No
Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment Yes
The Talloires Declaration (TD) No
UN Global Compact No
Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) No

A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
Second Nature Climate Commitment Signatory

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts is available:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
"Sustainability may be included as a major theme... through multiple sustainability-focused objectives."

Selected sustainability-focused objectives from ASU's institutional mission and goals - which is the university's highest guiding document and is distributed annually to all employees:
- Launch the prototype medical center for the planet.
- Serve as a leading American center for innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
- Co-develop solutions to the critical social, technical, cultural and environmental issues facing 21st-century Arizona, ensuring sustainability and resilience.
- Drive regional economic competitiveness through research, discovery and socioeconomically integrated programs.
- Maintain university accessibility to match Arizona's socioeconomic diversity, with undifferentiated outcomes for success.


ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.