| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 81.87 |
| Liaison | Rania Assariotaki |
| Submission Date | Feb. 21, 2023 |
The American College of Greece
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Ourania
Assariotaki Director Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Sustainability committee(s)
Yes
The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:
Center of Excellence in Sustainability Academic Advisory Board
The Academic Advisory Board of the CoE provides academic guidance and support enhancing the focus of academic programs in sustainability and related fields as well as promoting sustainability both on and off campus. The Board also serves as a liaison between the ACG faculty and the Office of Public Affairs, which leads all sustainability at ACG initiatives.
The Academic Advisory Board of the CoE provides academic guidance and support enhancing the focus of academic programs in sustainability and related fields as well as promoting sustainability both on and off campus. The Board also serves as a liaison between the ACG faculty and the Office of Public Affairs, which leads all sustainability at ACG initiatives.
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role:
Dr. Jennifer Nelson
Assistant Professor, Visual Arts, School of Fine and Performing Arts
Dr. Christina Marouli
Associate Professor, Environmental Studies, Department of Science and Mathematics, Founder and ex-Director, Center of Excellence for Sustainability
Dr. Giannis Vikas
Part-time instructor in the Accounting Economics and Finance department, School of Business and Economics
Pavlos A. Vlachos, PhD
Theodore Papalexopoulos Chair in Sustainability and Associate Professor of Marketing, Alba Graduate Business School
Dr. Margarita Zogka
Biology Instructor, Pierce - The American College of Greece
Rania Assariotaki
Senior Manager for Sustainability, Office of Public Affairs, The American College of Greece (ex-officio member)
Assistant Professor, Visual Arts, School of Fine and Performing Arts
Dr. Christina Marouli
Associate Professor, Environmental Studies, Department of Science and Mathematics, Founder and ex-Director, Center of Excellence for Sustainability
Dr. Giannis Vikas
Part-time instructor in the Accounting Economics and Finance department, School of Business and Economics
Pavlos A. Vlachos, PhD
Theodore Papalexopoulos Chair in Sustainability and Associate Professor of Marketing, Alba Graduate Business School
Dr. Margarita Zogka
Biology Instructor, Pierce - The American College of Greece
Rania Assariotaki
Senior Manager for Sustainability, Office of Public Affairs, The American College of Greece (ex-officio member)
Sustainability office(s)
Yes
A brief description of each sustainability office:
Office of Public Affairs
The Office of Public Affairs leads all sustainability-related activity in terms of operations and engagement, to advance sustainability on campus by:
Strengthening the collaboration with and preparing the reports for various local and international organizations supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals;
Working with other ACG departments on implementing STARS recommendations;
Promoting new ACG policies;
Organizing awareness campaign and social impact activities engaging students, faculty and staff;
Organizing events on a variety of sustainability-related topics.
The Office of Public Affairs is working closely with the ACG 150 Center of Excellence in Sustainability (CoES), a pioneer Center focused on advancing sustainability in academics and conducting sustainability-related research.
ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability
The Center of Excellence in Sustainability (CoES), a pioneer Center in Greece, was established in 2011 with the aim of promoting sustainability on the ACG campus and beyond. Τhe Center of Excellence in Sustainability works within the academic, civic and private sectors to:
Promote environmental awareness, education for sustainable development and sustainability research on campus and beyond;
Coordinate educational programs and activities while promoting experiential learning;
Facilitate faculty and student collaboration between disciplines;
Connect with other stakeholders and actors in the wider community in collaboration and coordination with the Office of Public Affairs.
The Academic Advisory Board of the CoES provides academic guidance and support enhancing the focus of academic programs in sustainability and related fields as well as promoting sustainability both on and off campus. The Board also serves as a liaison between the ACG faculty and the Office of Public Affairs, which leads all sustainability at ACG initiatives.
The Theodore Papalexopoulos Chair in Sustainability at Alba
The Office of Public Affairs leads all sustainability-related activity in terms of operations and engagement, to advance sustainability on campus by:
Strengthening the collaboration with and preparing the reports for various local and international organizations supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals;
Working with other ACG departments on implementing STARS recommendations;
Promoting new ACG policies;
Organizing awareness campaign and social impact activities engaging students, faculty and staff;
Organizing events on a variety of sustainability-related topics.
The Office of Public Affairs is working closely with the ACG 150 Center of Excellence in Sustainability (CoES), a pioneer Center focused on advancing sustainability in academics and conducting sustainability-related research.
ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability
The Center of Excellence in Sustainability (CoES), a pioneer Center in Greece, was established in 2011 with the aim of promoting sustainability on the ACG campus and beyond. Τhe Center of Excellence in Sustainability works within the academic, civic and private sectors to:
Promote environmental awareness, education for sustainable development and sustainability research on campus and beyond;
Coordinate educational programs and activities while promoting experiential learning;
Facilitate faculty and student collaboration between disciplines;
Connect with other stakeholders and actors in the wider community in collaboration and coordination with the Office of Public Affairs.
The Academic Advisory Board of the CoES provides academic guidance and support enhancing the focus of academic programs in sustainability and related fields as well as promoting sustainability both on and off campus. The Board also serves as a liaison between the ACG faculty and the Office of Public Affairs, which leads all sustainability at ACG initiatives.
The Theodore Papalexopoulos Chair in Sustainability at Alba
Full-time equivalent of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
5
Sustainability officer(s)
Yes
Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Rania Assariotaki, Senior Manager for Sustainability, Office of Sustainability - Public Affairs
Institution-wide coordination
Yes
A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:
The ACG Senior Manager for Sustainability got elected by other AASHE Members to the Global AASHE Board of Directors
In the context of promoting sustainability through the Curriculum:
o The Sustainable Economics and Finance Minor, which aims to educate future leaders on ESG concepts, was launched.
o The Center of Excellence in Sustainability Academic Advisory Board was established with representatives of all ACG schools including the Senior Manager for Sustainability
Deree IT students in the context of using the “campus as a living lab” and in collaboration with the ACG Senior Manager for Sustainability designed the Reuse@ACG exchange platform contributing to ACG’s waste minimization efforts.
• In the context of advocating for public policy in sustainability-related issues at a national level ACG:
o Became a member of the National Alliance for the elimination of food waste. The Association operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
o Actively participates in the Corporate Responsibility Committee of American- Hellenic Chamber of Commerce
o Participates in the consultation process of the Sustainable Transportation and Commuting Plan of the Municipality in which it operates
In the above-mentioned networks ACG is officially represented by the ACG Senior Manager for Sustainability
In collaboration with CSR Hellas and the University of Crete, the 4.0 CSR School took place. More than 40 business professionals were educated on key areas of sustainability. This initiative is supported by the Office of Public Affairs
The “GRIFFINS GREEN DEREE ATHLETICS” plan was launched aiming at reducing ACG’s environmental impact through all athletic activities. This plan is based on STARS recommendations and in collaboration with the Office of Public Affairs.
• In October 2022, the Office of Public Affairs launched the ACG Sustainability Face of the Month project. Each month a member of the ACG community is featured through our social media platforms on how they practice sustainability on and off campus. So far we have featured four ACG members (2 administrators, 1 faculty, and 1 student) on how they promote sustainability on and off campus.
• In October and December 2022, the seventh and eighth issues of the Sustainability@ACG newsletter were disseminated to all ACG students, faculty, and staff, providing them with information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• On November 18-19, 2022, the Office of Public Affairs, the Center of Excellence in Sustainability, the Municipality of Agia Paraskevi, and the EIT Climate- KIC Hub Greece organized the first Climathon at the ACG premises. The event was under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy. Participants had the opportunity to learn about issues related to the challenge set by the Municipality of Agia Paraskevi, “Improving energy efficiency within the City,” presented by representatives of the Academic and Research sector.
The Senior Manager for Sustainability actively participated in the program by presenting a session and being part of the Judging committee.
• In October 2022 under the coordination of the Office of Public Affairs the MOU between ACG and CSR Hellas was renewed. The MOU now covers joint initiatives from educational activities, to events and research projects and it refers to all ACG entities that promote sustainability at all levels i.e. Office of Public Affairs, the ACG 150 Institutes and Centers of Excellence, and the Papalexopoulos Chair at AGBS. Also, ACG became a connected member of CSR Hellas aiming to further expand our involvement and collaboration with the network and its members. Our office is the primary contact and liaison between the two entities. So far the projects that have taken place are the CSR School (Alba, Office of Public Affairs) and the ESG Barometer (Alba).
• In December 2022, during the Alba commencement ceremony, the Alba graduates of 2022 wore proudly the ACG Cares green ribbon that signifies their commitment to advancing sustainability in their professional and personal lives.
• In the context of the Christmas spirit The Office of Public Affairs through the Senior Manager for Sustainability coordinated the college’s support through monetary and in-kind donations of our members to the following charities: Social Kitchen Agia Paraskevi, Koinoniko Pantopwleio Pallini, EMFASIS, Doctors of the World. Donations were provided through the Pierce Christmas Bazaar, the ACG Libraries book drives, Deree students, and the sales of the ACG reusable items.
• In the context of the ACG Community Service Day of Fall Semester 2022, a group of Deree students and ACG Faculty, Staff & Alumni visited the premises of Loulis Food Ingredients, the largest flour industry in Greece, and baked more than 900 sweet treats, which were then donated – through the NGO Boroume – to youngsters 13-22 years old with special educational needs, studying at the Laboratory of Special Vocational Education and Training of Piraeus. The ACG group was welcomed by the Chairman Mr. Nikolaos Loulis and by Mrs. Olga Manou, Corporate Communications & Sustainability Director and Pierce alumna. The group also got the opportunity to visit the interactive Loulis Museum, which traces the company’s history since 1879 and, among other things, raises awareness about healthy nutrition, as well as food waste and ways to tackle it. The initiative was coordinated by the Office of Public Affairs.
• ACG was included in the 13th annual “Guide to Green Colleges” of Princeton Review for the fifth consecutive year. According to the Review, ACG is one of the 455 most environmentally responsible colleges globally out of the 713 schools surveyed during the academic year 2021-2022, examining the institutions’ commitment to sustainability-related practices, policies, and programs. ACG’s ranking, results from the STARS report submitted in 2020 by the Office of Public Affairs.
• The Senior Manager for Sustainability representing ACG participated in the consultation process of the Plan for Sustainable Transportation and Commuting administered by the Municipality of Agia Paraskevi.
• In December 2023, with support and partial funding, the Waste Management Project was launched. This project aims at mapping our waste management practices and planning further efforts in eliminating waste on campus. The project is led by Professor Vitoraki and it is with the collaboration of the Office of Public Affairs, the Science and Mathematics Department, and the CoES. The Senior Manager for Sustainability supervised the first phase of the project (sample check of recycling and residual bins and weighing of items).
• In January 2023 the Office of Public Affairs with the support of the Center of Excellence in Sustainability and The Theodore Papalexopoulos Chair in Sustainability at Alba administered the 3rd biannual Sustainability@ACG culture and awareness survey. The survey is conducted in view of the submission of our 4th STARS report The survey aims to assess specific knowledge, beliefs, and practices among all members of the ACG Community (students, faculty, and administration), as well as to help ACG plan future actions.
• In January 2023, the Senior Manager for Sustainability contributed for the second time to the annual position paper issued by AMCHAM through her membership in the CR Committee. The paper includes current key issues that Greek society and businesses face as mapped by AMCHAM and provides guidelines to the Greek Government on how to address them.
• On Jun 2 the Senior Manager for Sustainability was invited and presented at the anniversary conference on CSR practices organized by Boussias. During this anniversary conference she will present the 360o approach of ACG for sustainability. This conference was attended by representatives of sustainability professionals of all sectors in Greece. This was our 5th participation.
• On June 7, the American College of Greece through the Office of Public Affairs, along with Chatzigakis Foundation, organized and hosted the half- day conference “Sustainability: The Future is Now”. Sustainable Development and the Circular Economy, with an emphasis on small & medium-sized enterprises of the fashion industry and other key environmental issues starred in the discussions, held during this interactive conference, under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, on the occasion of the World Environment Day (5/6). The conference ended with an innovative fashion show by Deree students, wearing creations of Maison Faliakos, 3QUARTERS and EF93, companies that embrace sustainable practices. The Senior Manager for Sustainability moderated the panel “Sustainability: A Spherical Discussion”
• The Office of Public Affairs together with the coordinators of the Pierce Leadership Academy Program organized the following activities for the students with the support of the ACG Sustainability Leaders:
o Jun 21 - presentation by the VP Public Affairs and the Senior Manager for Sustainability on how ACG promotes sustainability at all levels and across all divisions.
o Jun 27 – participation at the Farmers’ Market Initiative: The Senior Manager for Sustainability together visited the two Farmers’ Markets in Holargos and Gerakas, where they collected the surplus food, which was later donated on local charities.
o Jun 28 - the students participated in sustainability-related educational activities (Recycling Game, Blind Water Tasting, Planting at the ACG Community Garden)
• In July 2022, the sixth issue of the Sustainability@ACG newsletter was disseminated to all ACG students, faculty and staff, providing them information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• ACG with the support of the Office of Public Affairs co-organized and hosted on campus with CSR Hellas the event “Education 4 Sustainability”. This event brought together representatives of the Greek state, expert professionals from the corporate world, and distinguished academics from both public and private universities for a high-level exchange of ideas based on their shared faith in the value of “Education for Sustainability.” This event was also an opportunity to celebrate the fourth CSR School, which takes place from Sep 30th to Dec 9th and the “Nikos Analytis” Student Contest on CSR, which brings together teams of students to study, analyze, argue and come up with concrete proposals regarding one or more of the SDGs. The topic of this year was “The Social Impact of Climate Change”, and the event will signal the completion of this 7th cycle of the contest with the award ceremony for the 3 highest-scoring teams. The Senior Manager for Sustainability participated in the evaluation and selection committee.
• In May 2022, the Office of Public Affairs through its participation in the CR committee of the AMCHAM launched a collaboration of ACG and AMCHAM in the implementation of a panhellenic study on sustainability in the form of barometer exploring the views of the Greek people on the various aspects of sustainability. The survey was administered by the Center of Excellence of Food, Tourism and Leisure in collaboration with our office and the Center of Excellence in Sustainability. The key findings of the survey were presented by Dr. Athanassios Krystallis during 20th anniversary annual CR conference of AMCHAM. The conference was an impactful celebration of AmChamGR’s 20-year contribution to the Greek Sustainability Ecosystem. The event was attended by a great number of representatives of the Greek business ecosystem.
• In September 2022, ACG, based on the data submitted in our more recent STARS report, was recognized as a top performer for its sustainability best practices in the 2021 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI) of AASHE for the seventh consecutive year in the categories (i) Grounds, (ii) Purchasing (iii) Overall Top Performers – Master’s Institutions and (iv) International Top Performers.
• In March 2022, as a result of a call to the ACG community in support of the people of Ukraine, the office of Public Affairs collected pharmaceutical products and medical supplies that filled 49 big boxes. The initiative, supported by ACG students of all our divisions, faculty, staff and the Pierce Parents Association, run from March 21st until March 30th. The supplies were donated to the NGO “Doctors of the World”, to be delivered to the Ukrainian people, along with contributions by other entities. Additionally, we collected the amount of 1,000 euros, which was collected from small donations by individual community members, the book drive, organized by the Deree & Alba Libraries and the sale of reusable water bottles by the Office of Public Affairs.
• On May 24, the Office of Public Affairs in collaboration with the Center of Excellence in Logistics, Shipping & Transportation, the ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability and Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA) organized the half day conference “BiG (Blue is Green) Focus Event”. This event is in the context of the BiG Focus initiative launched in March 2022. Deree students under the supervision of their professors had been working on identifying current challenges, trends as well as best practices on issues like shipping 4.0 environmental implications, air pollution in ports, decarbonization of the shipping industry, seawater pollution, oil spills with emphasis on prevention and restoration as well as biodiversity and marine ecosystems conservation. During the event the students presented their work and discussed the findings with shipowners and maritime executives.
• ACG through the coordination of the Office of Public Affairs will be participating with a group of 12 Deree students for the second time in the UN Millennium Fellowship Program. The program will run from July till December 2022. The Millennium Fellowship is a semester-long leadership development program that aims at educating the leaders of tomorrow on how to promote the SDGs and social impact on their campuses and beyond.
• ACG through its membership to the National Alliance for elimination of Food Waste is being featured in the second annual report of the Alliance. ACG participates with seven initiatives/projects. ACG is the only educational institution, which participates with so many initiatives and in almost all strategic pillars of the alliance. Our initiatives focus on promoting the elimination of food waste at educational as well as operational level.
• The Senior Manager for Sustainability participated in the evaluation committee for the Bravo Sustainability Awards organized by the QualityNet Foundation. Bravo is an institution for dialogue, highlighting initiatives that promote Sustainable Development which support the creation of the Greece of tomorrow. It emphasizes on the promotion of a systematic social dialogue, with the aim of creating a broader culture on Sustainable Development issues. She evaluated initiatives of major Greek companies like OTE, Vodafone, Mytilineos, Hellenic Petroleum etc in the area of Environment.
• In April 2022, ACG through the Office of Public Affairs submitted its second UN Academic Impact Activities report. In this report ACG showcases how it promotes the Sustainable Development Goals and the UNAI principles at all levels.
• The Senior Manager for Sustainability was invited to be a speaker at the anniversary conference on CSR practices organized by Boussias. During this anniversary conference she will present the 360o approach of ACG for sustainability. This conference is attended by representatives of sustainability professionals of all sectors in Greece. This is our 5th participation.
• The Office of Public Affairs together with the has signed an MOU with the NGO Boroume and the Center of Excellence has coordinated the signing of MOU with the NGO Boroume and the Center of Excellence for Food, Tourism and Leisure for a panhellenic survey on measuring consumer perceptions in regards to date labelling, food consumption patterns and food waste. This MOU is in the context of the institution’s participation in the National Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste.
• In May 2022, the Office of Public Affairs through its participation in the CR committee of the AMCHAM launched a collaboration of ACG and AMCHAM in the implementation of a panhellenic study on sustainability in the form of barometer. The survey will be run by the Center of Excellence of Food, Tourism and Leisure in collaboration with our office and the Center of Excellence in Sustainability. The findings will be presented during the 20th anniversary CR conference in September 2022.
In May 2022, the fifth issue of the Sustainability@ACG newsletter was disseminated to all ACG students, faculty and staff, providing them information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, was chosen to participate AASHE Mentorship & Peer Collaboration Program for the second consecutive academic year. She has been selected as a mentor for two international academic institutions – CES University in Colombia and Texas A&M University in the US.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, has been elected to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Board of Directors. The purpose of the Board is to advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, and assist with the general promotion of AASHE. She also serves for the second consecutive year as a member of the AASHE Advisory Council.
• On Monday, November 29, 2021, in the context of the Fall ACG Community Service Day organized by the Office of Public Affairs, ACG members baked on campus sweet treats for a good cause. Our volunteers prepared and donated 165 individual packages of muffins and cookies for two local charities.
• In November 2021, ACG, based on the data submitted in our more recent STARS report, was:
o recognized as a top performer for its sustainability best practices in the 2021 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI) of AASHE for the sixth consecutive year in the categories (i) Grounds and (ii) Purchasing
o included in the 12th annual “Guide to Green Colleges” of Princeton Review for the fourth consecutive year. According to the Review, ACG is one of the 420 most environmentally responsible colleges globally out of the 835 schools surveyed during the academic year 2020 – 2021.
• In December 2021, the fourth issue was disseminated to all ACG students, faculty and staff, providing them information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• In January 2021, ACG signed an MOU with the NGO Helmepa for promoting marine environment protection through events, research projects, volunteer activities etc. On behalf of ACG these activities will be coordinated by the Office of Public Affairs, the Center of Excellence in Sustainability and the Center of Excellence in Logistics, Shipping and Transportation.
• ACG through its collaboration with the NGO Boroume aiming at fighting food waste and malnutrition in Greece since November 2021 operates two Farmers’ Markets (Cholargos, Gerakas). In this context, from October 2021-January 2022 ACG members offered 146 volunteer hours, managed to divert from landfill 1897.5 kgs of food items and donated 7612 portions of food to local charities.
• On June 7 & 8, 2021, in the context of the initiative ACG 150 and in celebration of the World Environment Day, the Office of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the Environmental Studies Program and ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability, organized the online event “Celebrating the Environment 2021: Reimagine, Recreate, Restore”. 106 live viewers participated in the event.
• In June 2021, in a series of five consecutive commencement ceremonies, the ACG graduates of 2020 and 2021 (Deree, Pierce, Alba) walked proudly, holding their well-deserved degrees in hand, wearing the ACG Cares green ribbon that signifies their commitment to advancing sustainability.
• On June 10, 2021, CSR Hellas, in collaboration with the University of Crete, Alba Executive Development and the Office of Public Affairs, organized an online High-Level Panel Discussion on “Education as a foundation for Sustainability”, thereby initiating the 3rd CSR-School.
• From June 15 to July 22, 2021, CSR Hellas, the University of Crete, and Alba Executive Education, with the support of the Office of Public Affairs, organized the 3rd CSR-School. This advanced training program consisted of 12 four-hour webinars welcomed prominent academics and practitioners covering a wide-range of thematic areas, such as sustainable value creation, legal aspects of CSR, circular economy, etc. 36 trainees participated in the CSR-School 2021.
• In July 2021, the Office of Public Affairs submitted the United Nation Academic Impact (UNAI) report for the calendar year of 2020. This is the second report we have submitted in the context of our membership in the UNAI.
• On September 4, 2021, the Office of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the Office of Advancement and the Deree Student Emergency Response Force (SERF), led a group of 33 comprising alumni, SERFers, ACG Sustainability Leaders, Pierce students and parents, and staff, who helped restore the olive grove and clean one of the destroyed houses at Eleonas Hotel in Rovies, Northern Evia, a family business, whose owners represent three generations of ACG Alumni. This initiative was kindly supported by UNISON GROUP who contributed with the necessary equipment.
• In September 2021, Sierra Magazine announced the 15th annual ‘Cool Schools’ ranking, a list with colleges and universities measured for their sustainability efforts and best practices based on the reports submitted to AASHE’s STARS. ACG was ranked 92nd among the 328 international educational institutions, leaving behind MIT, Yale, New York University, Columbia, Tufts and Boston University. ACG cohabits the list with other prestigious colleges and universities, namely Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Clarkson University, etc. This is the third time we have been ranked in this list.
• On October 14, 2021, the Office of Public Affairs, Boroume, and Dipnosofistirion, in collaboration with the ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability, organized the event “Love Food, Hate Waste: The importance of reducing food waste”. Serving as the kick-off event of the “ACG Food Waste Campaign: Reduce your FOODprint!”, an interactive discussion with experts was held while in parallel Deree students from the ACG Sustainability Leaders, the ACG SDG Student Hub and the ES Society showcased videos with tips on how to reduce food waste. The campaign will run during 2021-2022 and is spearheaded in the context of our membership in the national Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste. Over 50 members of the ACG Community participated.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, in the context of her membership in AMCHAM’s Corporate Responsibility Committee, contributed in the organization of the 19th annual CR Conference “Citizen Sustain”, held on September 30, 2021. In addition, she was featured in AMCHAM’s Business Partners magazine (September-October 2021 issue) in the column “Thought Leaders”, sharing her insights on resilience.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, was selected by AASHE as a judge in AASHE’s Sustainability Awards 2021. The judgeship took place in July & August 2021.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, was chosen to participate AASHE Mentorship & Peer Collaboration Program for the second consecutive academic year. She has been selected as a mentor for two international academic institutions – CES University in Colombia and Texas A&M University in the US.
• Following the successful launch of the first Sustainability @ ACG newsletter in March 2021, the Office of Public Affairs has made this an ongoing publication, circulating every 3 months. In September 2021, a special edition issue was created, welcoming new and returning students, faculty, and staff on campus, providing them information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, ACG hosted the online event “The Role of Higher Education Institutions in promoting the SDGs”, organized by UN SDSN Greece in the context of their initiative regarding sustainability in higher education in Greece in line with UN’s Mission 4.7, in collaboration with ACG, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), and the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, President of UN SDSN, delivered the keynote speech while the Deputy Minister of Education (responsible for higher education) Angelos Syrigos delivered the welcome remarks. The Senior Manager for Sustainability, Office of Public Affairs and Dr. Stella Apostolaki, Associate Faculty – Lecturer I, Environmental Studies Program Coordinator – Department of Science and Mathematics, Chair of Academic Advisory Board of the CES, both participated in the event. Of special importance was the role of the three student SDG Youth Coordinators, from ACG, NKUA, and AUEB, who engaged in a thought-provoking conversation with J. Sachs.
• In March 2021, the Office of Public Affairs launched the Sustainability at ACG Newsletter. This newsletter, includes ACG sustainability news and achievements, upcoming events, sustainability tips and will showcase ACG Community members who try to live sustainably, in future issues. In the future, the newsletter will be available to both internal and external audiences.
• In April 2021, the Office of Public Affairs submitted the first UN Global Compact Report for the period of January 2019 – January 2021, since ACG’s membership begun in January 2019. This is a comprehensive report, which includes ACG’s efforts in accordance with UN GC’s 10 principles, focusing on the following key areas: human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. The report will be submitted every two years.
• In March 2021, the Office of Public Affairs submitted ACG’s first report of food waste prevention and reduction actions to the Alliance for the Reduction of Food waste, of which ACG has been a member since October 2020.
• On Monday, April 26, 2021, in the context of the Spring ACG Community Service Day organized by the Office of Public Affairs, ACG faculty and staff gathered at the Pierce Home Economics professional kitchen to prepare, bake and package sweet treats for a good cause. Our volunteers managed to bake and prepare 186 individual packages of muffins and cookies and gather a small monetary donation, which were delivered to the EMFASIS Foundation in the context of their Easter Campaign “No one alone” (Κανείς Μόνος) in support of people living in the streets.
• In April 2021, the UNSDSN Greece Youth Hub was launched on campus. The Members of the Deree SDG Hub will have the opportunity to engage and collaborate with their fellow peers at Deree and Greek Public Universities in various sustainability-related initiatives and projects, both in and outside campus walls. This creation of this Hub was realized in the context of ACG’s membership to UNSDSN Greece, coordinated by the Office of Public Affairs.
• In April 2021, the second call for the UN Millennium Fellowship Program was concluded. Following the successful completion of the 2020 Program, Deree students have applied for and have already submitted initiatives that will be implemented during the 2021 Program. Our students’ participation is coordinated and supported by the Office of Public Affairs, in the context of ACG’s membership to UN Academic Impact (UNAI).
• On December 7, 2020, the ACG Center of Excellence Academic Advisory Board was created. This board serves as a liaison between the ACG faculty and the Office of Public Affairs as well as other administrators, for sustainability-related initiatives. The Academic Advisory Board comprises of a chair and 7 members: one academic from each Deree School, one academic from Alba and three ex-officio members (a Dean, a representative of the Office of Public Affairs, and the ACG Sustainability Officer). The Board members are offering their service to the College on a voluntary basis.
• In the spirit of Thanksgiving, on November 27, 2019, the Office of Public Affairs in collaboration with Loulis Mills, under the direction of Mrs. Olga Manou, Pierce alumna and Corporate Communications and Sustainability Director, and the NGO ‘Boroume’, organized the Fall 2019 ACG Community Service Day. ACG volunteers baked and packaged treats that were then donated to a local charity. Loulis Mills offered their superb facilities, the ingredients, and the pastry chefs, in order to support this volunteer initiative.
• In November 2019, ACG was featured for the second consecutive year in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges as one of the 413 most environmentally responsible colleges. ACG was the only European academic institution featured on the list. In addition, ACG was featured again in SIERRA Magazine’s ‘Cool Schools’ list. ACG ranked 129th, leaving behind institutions like Yale and Boston University. Finally, ACG was recognized, for the fourth consecutive year, as a top performer in the AASHE’s Sustainable Campus Index, achieving the top spot in the area of Wellbeing & Work, tying for third place in the area of Grounds, and ranking fifth in Food & Dining.
• In December 2019, the Office of Public Affairs submitted the 3rd AASHE STARS Report. The report reflects a collective two- year effort coordinated by the Office of Public Affairs and supported by all ACG departments that are currently engaged in sustainability-related activities and practices –including all academic departments, the Office of Operations, Technical Services and the ACG Center of Excellence for Sustainability.
• At the end of 2019, the Adecco Group, the world’s largest Human Resources provider and temporary staffing firm, published the fourth edition of its Inovantage Report on “Sustainable Workforce – Driving Eco-friendly Growth”. The ACG Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, gave her recommendations to businesses operating in the Greek market and was featured in the report.
• In January 2020 and in the context of the Smoke-free Campus Campaign, signs featuring the anti-smoking law were placed at key areas on all campuses. In addition, on January 20, 2020, the first Smoke-free Campus Info-session took place. The session targeted ACG faculty and staff in order to inform our community about the anti-smoking law and its implementation on campus, and the support they can receive from ACG when deciding to quit smoking. VP Claudia Carydis, VP Iliana Lazana, and Dr. Panagiotis Behrakis informed community members about the above and engaged in an interactive Q&A session, responding to all questions and concerns.
• In January 2020, the ACG Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, was appointed as a member and representative of ACG at the CSR Committee of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce.
• On February 4, 2020, and in the context of the #ACGGoesPlasticFree Campaign, the Office of Public Affairs and the A.C. Laskarides Charitable Foundation co-organized an event on “Going single-use plastic free: The next step to sustainable growth” at the John S. Bailey Library – Events Hall. The keynote speaker was the Minister of Environment & Energy. This event was the first entirely single-use plastic-free event organized on campus!
In the context of promoting sustainability through the Curriculum:
o The Sustainable Economics and Finance Minor, which aims to educate future leaders on ESG concepts, was launched.
o The Center of Excellence in Sustainability Academic Advisory Board was established with representatives of all ACG schools including the Senior Manager for Sustainability
Deree IT students in the context of using the “campus as a living lab” and in collaboration with the ACG Senior Manager for Sustainability designed the Reuse@ACG exchange platform contributing to ACG’s waste minimization efforts.
• In the context of advocating for public policy in sustainability-related issues at a national level ACG:
o Became a member of the National Alliance for the elimination of food waste. The Association operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
o Actively participates in the Corporate Responsibility Committee of American- Hellenic Chamber of Commerce
o Participates in the consultation process of the Sustainable Transportation and Commuting Plan of the Municipality in which it operates
In the above-mentioned networks ACG is officially represented by the ACG Senior Manager for Sustainability
In collaboration with CSR Hellas and the University of Crete, the 4.0 CSR School took place. More than 40 business professionals were educated on key areas of sustainability. This initiative is supported by the Office of Public Affairs
The “GRIFFINS GREEN DEREE ATHLETICS” plan was launched aiming at reducing ACG’s environmental impact through all athletic activities. This plan is based on STARS recommendations and in collaboration with the Office of Public Affairs.
• In October 2022, the Office of Public Affairs launched the ACG Sustainability Face of the Month project. Each month a member of the ACG community is featured through our social media platforms on how they practice sustainability on and off campus. So far we have featured four ACG members (2 administrators, 1 faculty, and 1 student) on how they promote sustainability on and off campus.
• In October and December 2022, the seventh and eighth issues of the Sustainability@ACG newsletter were disseminated to all ACG students, faculty, and staff, providing them with information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• On November 18-19, 2022, the Office of Public Affairs, the Center of Excellence in Sustainability, the Municipality of Agia Paraskevi, and the EIT Climate- KIC Hub Greece organized the first Climathon at the ACG premises. The event was under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy. Participants had the opportunity to learn about issues related to the challenge set by the Municipality of Agia Paraskevi, “Improving energy efficiency within the City,” presented by representatives of the Academic and Research sector.
The Senior Manager for Sustainability actively participated in the program by presenting a session and being part of the Judging committee.
• In October 2022 under the coordination of the Office of Public Affairs the MOU between ACG and CSR Hellas was renewed. The MOU now covers joint initiatives from educational activities, to events and research projects and it refers to all ACG entities that promote sustainability at all levels i.e. Office of Public Affairs, the ACG 150 Institutes and Centers of Excellence, and the Papalexopoulos Chair at AGBS. Also, ACG became a connected member of CSR Hellas aiming to further expand our involvement and collaboration with the network and its members. Our office is the primary contact and liaison between the two entities. So far the projects that have taken place are the CSR School (Alba, Office of Public Affairs) and the ESG Barometer (Alba).
• In December 2022, during the Alba commencement ceremony, the Alba graduates of 2022 wore proudly the ACG Cares green ribbon that signifies their commitment to advancing sustainability in their professional and personal lives.
• In the context of the Christmas spirit The Office of Public Affairs through the Senior Manager for Sustainability coordinated the college’s support through monetary and in-kind donations of our members to the following charities: Social Kitchen Agia Paraskevi, Koinoniko Pantopwleio Pallini, EMFASIS, Doctors of the World. Donations were provided through the Pierce Christmas Bazaar, the ACG Libraries book drives, Deree students, and the sales of the ACG reusable items.
• In the context of the ACG Community Service Day of Fall Semester 2022, a group of Deree students and ACG Faculty, Staff & Alumni visited the premises of Loulis Food Ingredients, the largest flour industry in Greece, and baked more than 900 sweet treats, which were then donated – through the NGO Boroume – to youngsters 13-22 years old with special educational needs, studying at the Laboratory of Special Vocational Education and Training of Piraeus. The ACG group was welcomed by the Chairman Mr. Nikolaos Loulis and by Mrs. Olga Manou, Corporate Communications & Sustainability Director and Pierce alumna. The group also got the opportunity to visit the interactive Loulis Museum, which traces the company’s history since 1879 and, among other things, raises awareness about healthy nutrition, as well as food waste and ways to tackle it. The initiative was coordinated by the Office of Public Affairs.
• ACG was included in the 13th annual “Guide to Green Colleges” of Princeton Review for the fifth consecutive year. According to the Review, ACG is one of the 455 most environmentally responsible colleges globally out of the 713 schools surveyed during the academic year 2021-2022, examining the institutions’ commitment to sustainability-related practices, policies, and programs. ACG’s ranking, results from the STARS report submitted in 2020 by the Office of Public Affairs.
• The Senior Manager for Sustainability representing ACG participated in the consultation process of the Plan for Sustainable Transportation and Commuting administered by the Municipality of Agia Paraskevi.
• In December 2023, with support and partial funding, the Waste Management Project was launched. This project aims at mapping our waste management practices and planning further efforts in eliminating waste on campus. The project is led by Professor Vitoraki and it is with the collaboration of the Office of Public Affairs, the Science and Mathematics Department, and the CoES. The Senior Manager for Sustainability supervised the first phase of the project (sample check of recycling and residual bins and weighing of items).
• In January 2023 the Office of Public Affairs with the support of the Center of Excellence in Sustainability and The Theodore Papalexopoulos Chair in Sustainability at Alba administered the 3rd biannual Sustainability@ACG culture and awareness survey. The survey is conducted in view of the submission of our 4th STARS report The survey aims to assess specific knowledge, beliefs, and practices among all members of the ACG Community (students, faculty, and administration), as well as to help ACG plan future actions.
• In January 2023, the Senior Manager for Sustainability contributed for the second time to the annual position paper issued by AMCHAM through her membership in the CR Committee. The paper includes current key issues that Greek society and businesses face as mapped by AMCHAM and provides guidelines to the Greek Government on how to address them.
• On Jun 2 the Senior Manager for Sustainability was invited and presented at the anniversary conference on CSR practices organized by Boussias. During this anniversary conference she will present the 360o approach of ACG for sustainability. This conference was attended by representatives of sustainability professionals of all sectors in Greece. This was our 5th participation.
• On June 7, the American College of Greece through the Office of Public Affairs, along with Chatzigakis Foundation, organized and hosted the half- day conference “Sustainability: The Future is Now”. Sustainable Development and the Circular Economy, with an emphasis on small & medium-sized enterprises of the fashion industry and other key environmental issues starred in the discussions, held during this interactive conference, under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, on the occasion of the World Environment Day (5/6). The conference ended with an innovative fashion show by Deree students, wearing creations of Maison Faliakos, 3QUARTERS and EF93, companies that embrace sustainable practices. The Senior Manager for Sustainability moderated the panel “Sustainability: A Spherical Discussion”
• The Office of Public Affairs together with the coordinators of the Pierce Leadership Academy Program organized the following activities for the students with the support of the ACG Sustainability Leaders:
o Jun 21 - presentation by the VP Public Affairs and the Senior Manager for Sustainability on how ACG promotes sustainability at all levels and across all divisions.
o Jun 27 – participation at the Farmers’ Market Initiative: The Senior Manager for Sustainability together visited the two Farmers’ Markets in Holargos and Gerakas, where they collected the surplus food, which was later donated on local charities.
o Jun 28 - the students participated in sustainability-related educational activities (Recycling Game, Blind Water Tasting, Planting at the ACG Community Garden)
• In July 2022, the sixth issue of the Sustainability@ACG newsletter was disseminated to all ACG students, faculty and staff, providing them information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• ACG with the support of the Office of Public Affairs co-organized and hosted on campus with CSR Hellas the event “Education 4 Sustainability”. This event brought together representatives of the Greek state, expert professionals from the corporate world, and distinguished academics from both public and private universities for a high-level exchange of ideas based on their shared faith in the value of “Education for Sustainability.” This event was also an opportunity to celebrate the fourth CSR School, which takes place from Sep 30th to Dec 9th and the “Nikos Analytis” Student Contest on CSR, which brings together teams of students to study, analyze, argue and come up with concrete proposals regarding one or more of the SDGs. The topic of this year was “The Social Impact of Climate Change”, and the event will signal the completion of this 7th cycle of the contest with the award ceremony for the 3 highest-scoring teams. The Senior Manager for Sustainability participated in the evaluation and selection committee.
• In May 2022, the Office of Public Affairs through its participation in the CR committee of the AMCHAM launched a collaboration of ACG and AMCHAM in the implementation of a panhellenic study on sustainability in the form of barometer exploring the views of the Greek people on the various aspects of sustainability. The survey was administered by the Center of Excellence of Food, Tourism and Leisure in collaboration with our office and the Center of Excellence in Sustainability. The key findings of the survey were presented by Dr. Athanassios Krystallis during 20th anniversary annual CR conference of AMCHAM. The conference was an impactful celebration of AmChamGR’s 20-year contribution to the Greek Sustainability Ecosystem. The event was attended by a great number of representatives of the Greek business ecosystem.
• In September 2022, ACG, based on the data submitted in our more recent STARS report, was recognized as a top performer for its sustainability best practices in the 2021 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI) of AASHE for the seventh consecutive year in the categories (i) Grounds, (ii) Purchasing (iii) Overall Top Performers – Master’s Institutions and (iv) International Top Performers.
• In March 2022, as a result of a call to the ACG community in support of the people of Ukraine, the office of Public Affairs collected pharmaceutical products and medical supplies that filled 49 big boxes. The initiative, supported by ACG students of all our divisions, faculty, staff and the Pierce Parents Association, run from March 21st until March 30th. The supplies were donated to the NGO “Doctors of the World”, to be delivered to the Ukrainian people, along with contributions by other entities. Additionally, we collected the amount of 1,000 euros, which was collected from small donations by individual community members, the book drive, organized by the Deree & Alba Libraries and the sale of reusable water bottles by the Office of Public Affairs.
• On May 24, the Office of Public Affairs in collaboration with the Center of Excellence in Logistics, Shipping & Transportation, the ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability and Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA) organized the half day conference “BiG (Blue is Green) Focus Event”. This event is in the context of the BiG Focus initiative launched in March 2022. Deree students under the supervision of their professors had been working on identifying current challenges, trends as well as best practices on issues like shipping 4.0 environmental implications, air pollution in ports, decarbonization of the shipping industry, seawater pollution, oil spills with emphasis on prevention and restoration as well as biodiversity and marine ecosystems conservation. During the event the students presented their work and discussed the findings with shipowners and maritime executives.
• ACG through the coordination of the Office of Public Affairs will be participating with a group of 12 Deree students for the second time in the UN Millennium Fellowship Program. The program will run from July till December 2022. The Millennium Fellowship is a semester-long leadership development program that aims at educating the leaders of tomorrow on how to promote the SDGs and social impact on their campuses and beyond.
• ACG through its membership to the National Alliance for elimination of Food Waste is being featured in the second annual report of the Alliance. ACG participates with seven initiatives/projects. ACG is the only educational institution, which participates with so many initiatives and in almost all strategic pillars of the alliance. Our initiatives focus on promoting the elimination of food waste at educational as well as operational level.
• The Senior Manager for Sustainability participated in the evaluation committee for the Bravo Sustainability Awards organized by the QualityNet Foundation. Bravo is an institution for dialogue, highlighting initiatives that promote Sustainable Development which support the creation of the Greece of tomorrow. It emphasizes on the promotion of a systematic social dialogue, with the aim of creating a broader culture on Sustainable Development issues. She evaluated initiatives of major Greek companies like OTE, Vodafone, Mytilineos, Hellenic Petroleum etc in the area of Environment.
• In April 2022, ACG through the Office of Public Affairs submitted its second UN Academic Impact Activities report. In this report ACG showcases how it promotes the Sustainable Development Goals and the UNAI principles at all levels.
• The Senior Manager for Sustainability was invited to be a speaker at the anniversary conference on CSR practices organized by Boussias. During this anniversary conference she will present the 360o approach of ACG for sustainability. This conference is attended by representatives of sustainability professionals of all sectors in Greece. This is our 5th participation.
• The Office of Public Affairs together with the has signed an MOU with the NGO Boroume and the Center of Excellence has coordinated the signing of MOU with the NGO Boroume and the Center of Excellence for Food, Tourism and Leisure for a panhellenic survey on measuring consumer perceptions in regards to date labelling, food consumption patterns and food waste. This MOU is in the context of the institution’s participation in the National Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste.
• In May 2022, the Office of Public Affairs through its participation in the CR committee of the AMCHAM launched a collaboration of ACG and AMCHAM in the implementation of a panhellenic study on sustainability in the form of barometer. The survey will be run by the Center of Excellence of Food, Tourism and Leisure in collaboration with our office and the Center of Excellence in Sustainability. The findings will be presented during the 20th anniversary CR conference in September 2022.
In May 2022, the fifth issue of the Sustainability@ACG newsletter was disseminated to all ACG students, faculty and staff, providing them information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, was chosen to participate AASHE Mentorship & Peer Collaboration Program for the second consecutive academic year. She has been selected as a mentor for two international academic institutions – CES University in Colombia and Texas A&M University in the US.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, has been elected to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Board of Directors. The purpose of the Board is to advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, and assist with the general promotion of AASHE. She also serves for the second consecutive year as a member of the AASHE Advisory Council.
• On Monday, November 29, 2021, in the context of the Fall ACG Community Service Day organized by the Office of Public Affairs, ACG members baked on campus sweet treats for a good cause. Our volunteers prepared and donated 165 individual packages of muffins and cookies for two local charities.
• In November 2021, ACG, based on the data submitted in our more recent STARS report, was:
o recognized as a top performer for its sustainability best practices in the 2021 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI) of AASHE for the sixth consecutive year in the categories (i) Grounds and (ii) Purchasing
o included in the 12th annual “Guide to Green Colleges” of Princeton Review for the fourth consecutive year. According to the Review, ACG is one of the 420 most environmentally responsible colleges globally out of the 835 schools surveyed during the academic year 2020 – 2021.
• In December 2021, the fourth issue was disseminated to all ACG students, faculty and staff, providing them information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• In January 2021, ACG signed an MOU with the NGO Helmepa for promoting marine environment protection through events, research projects, volunteer activities etc. On behalf of ACG these activities will be coordinated by the Office of Public Affairs, the Center of Excellence in Sustainability and the Center of Excellence in Logistics, Shipping and Transportation.
• ACG through its collaboration with the NGO Boroume aiming at fighting food waste and malnutrition in Greece since November 2021 operates two Farmers’ Markets (Cholargos, Gerakas). In this context, from October 2021-January 2022 ACG members offered 146 volunteer hours, managed to divert from landfill 1897.5 kgs of food items and donated 7612 portions of food to local charities.
• On June 7 & 8, 2021, in the context of the initiative ACG 150 and in celebration of the World Environment Day, the Office of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the Environmental Studies Program and ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability, organized the online event “Celebrating the Environment 2021: Reimagine, Recreate, Restore”. 106 live viewers participated in the event.
• In June 2021, in a series of five consecutive commencement ceremonies, the ACG graduates of 2020 and 2021 (Deree, Pierce, Alba) walked proudly, holding their well-deserved degrees in hand, wearing the ACG Cares green ribbon that signifies their commitment to advancing sustainability.
• On June 10, 2021, CSR Hellas, in collaboration with the University of Crete, Alba Executive Development and the Office of Public Affairs, organized an online High-Level Panel Discussion on “Education as a foundation for Sustainability”, thereby initiating the 3rd CSR-School.
• From June 15 to July 22, 2021, CSR Hellas, the University of Crete, and Alba Executive Education, with the support of the Office of Public Affairs, organized the 3rd CSR-School. This advanced training program consisted of 12 four-hour webinars welcomed prominent academics and practitioners covering a wide-range of thematic areas, such as sustainable value creation, legal aspects of CSR, circular economy, etc. 36 trainees participated in the CSR-School 2021.
• In July 2021, the Office of Public Affairs submitted the United Nation Academic Impact (UNAI) report for the calendar year of 2020. This is the second report we have submitted in the context of our membership in the UNAI.
• On September 4, 2021, the Office of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the Office of Advancement and the Deree Student Emergency Response Force (SERF), led a group of 33 comprising alumni, SERFers, ACG Sustainability Leaders, Pierce students and parents, and staff, who helped restore the olive grove and clean one of the destroyed houses at Eleonas Hotel in Rovies, Northern Evia, a family business, whose owners represent three generations of ACG Alumni. This initiative was kindly supported by UNISON GROUP who contributed with the necessary equipment.
• In September 2021, Sierra Magazine announced the 15th annual ‘Cool Schools’ ranking, a list with colleges and universities measured for their sustainability efforts and best practices based on the reports submitted to AASHE’s STARS. ACG was ranked 92nd among the 328 international educational institutions, leaving behind MIT, Yale, New York University, Columbia, Tufts and Boston University. ACG cohabits the list with other prestigious colleges and universities, namely Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Clarkson University, etc. This is the third time we have been ranked in this list.
• On October 14, 2021, the Office of Public Affairs, Boroume, and Dipnosofistirion, in collaboration with the ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability, organized the event “Love Food, Hate Waste: The importance of reducing food waste”. Serving as the kick-off event of the “ACG Food Waste Campaign: Reduce your FOODprint!”, an interactive discussion with experts was held while in parallel Deree students from the ACG Sustainability Leaders, the ACG SDG Student Hub and the ES Society showcased videos with tips on how to reduce food waste. The campaign will run during 2021-2022 and is spearheaded in the context of our membership in the national Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste. Over 50 members of the ACG Community participated.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, in the context of her membership in AMCHAM’s Corporate Responsibility Committee, contributed in the organization of the 19th annual CR Conference “Citizen Sustain”, held on September 30, 2021. In addition, she was featured in AMCHAM’s Business Partners magazine (September-October 2021 issue) in the column “Thought Leaders”, sharing her insights on resilience.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, was selected by AASHE as a judge in AASHE’s Sustainability Awards 2021. The judgeship took place in July & August 2021.
• The ACG Senior Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, was chosen to participate AASHE Mentorship & Peer Collaboration Program for the second consecutive academic year. She has been selected as a mentor for two international academic institutions – CES University in Colombia and Texas A&M University in the US.
• Following the successful launch of the first Sustainability @ ACG newsletter in March 2021, the Office of Public Affairs has made this an ongoing publication, circulating every 3 months. In September 2021, a special edition issue was created, welcoming new and returning students, faculty, and staff on campus, providing them information on sustainability community engagement opportunities and upcoming activities.
• On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, ACG hosted the online event “The Role of Higher Education Institutions in promoting the SDGs”, organized by UN SDSN Greece in the context of their initiative regarding sustainability in higher education in Greece in line with UN’s Mission 4.7, in collaboration with ACG, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), and the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, President of UN SDSN, delivered the keynote speech while the Deputy Minister of Education (responsible for higher education) Angelos Syrigos delivered the welcome remarks. The Senior Manager for Sustainability, Office of Public Affairs and Dr. Stella Apostolaki, Associate Faculty – Lecturer I, Environmental Studies Program Coordinator – Department of Science and Mathematics, Chair of Academic Advisory Board of the CES, both participated in the event. Of special importance was the role of the three student SDG Youth Coordinators, from ACG, NKUA, and AUEB, who engaged in a thought-provoking conversation with J. Sachs.
• In March 2021, the Office of Public Affairs launched the Sustainability at ACG Newsletter. This newsletter, includes ACG sustainability news and achievements, upcoming events, sustainability tips and will showcase ACG Community members who try to live sustainably, in future issues. In the future, the newsletter will be available to both internal and external audiences.
• In April 2021, the Office of Public Affairs submitted the first UN Global Compact Report for the period of January 2019 – January 2021, since ACG’s membership begun in January 2019. This is a comprehensive report, which includes ACG’s efforts in accordance with UN GC’s 10 principles, focusing on the following key areas: human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. The report will be submitted every two years.
• In March 2021, the Office of Public Affairs submitted ACG’s first report of food waste prevention and reduction actions to the Alliance for the Reduction of Food waste, of which ACG has been a member since October 2020.
• On Monday, April 26, 2021, in the context of the Spring ACG Community Service Day organized by the Office of Public Affairs, ACG faculty and staff gathered at the Pierce Home Economics professional kitchen to prepare, bake and package sweet treats for a good cause. Our volunteers managed to bake and prepare 186 individual packages of muffins and cookies and gather a small monetary donation, which were delivered to the EMFASIS Foundation in the context of their Easter Campaign “No one alone” (Κανείς Μόνος) in support of people living in the streets.
• In April 2021, the UNSDSN Greece Youth Hub was launched on campus. The Members of the Deree SDG Hub will have the opportunity to engage and collaborate with their fellow peers at Deree and Greek Public Universities in various sustainability-related initiatives and projects, both in and outside campus walls. This creation of this Hub was realized in the context of ACG’s membership to UNSDSN Greece, coordinated by the Office of Public Affairs.
• In April 2021, the second call for the UN Millennium Fellowship Program was concluded. Following the successful completion of the 2020 Program, Deree students have applied for and have already submitted initiatives that will be implemented during the 2021 Program. Our students’ participation is coordinated and supported by the Office of Public Affairs, in the context of ACG’s membership to UN Academic Impact (UNAI).
• On December 7, 2020, the ACG Center of Excellence Academic Advisory Board was created. This board serves as a liaison between the ACG faculty and the Office of Public Affairs as well as other administrators, for sustainability-related initiatives. The Academic Advisory Board comprises of a chair and 7 members: one academic from each Deree School, one academic from Alba and three ex-officio members (a Dean, a representative of the Office of Public Affairs, and the ACG Sustainability Officer). The Board members are offering their service to the College on a voluntary basis.
• In the spirit of Thanksgiving, on November 27, 2019, the Office of Public Affairs in collaboration with Loulis Mills, under the direction of Mrs. Olga Manou, Pierce alumna and Corporate Communications and Sustainability Director, and the NGO ‘Boroume’, organized the Fall 2019 ACG Community Service Day. ACG volunteers baked and packaged treats that were then donated to a local charity. Loulis Mills offered their superb facilities, the ingredients, and the pastry chefs, in order to support this volunteer initiative.
• In November 2019, ACG was featured for the second consecutive year in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges as one of the 413 most environmentally responsible colleges. ACG was the only European academic institution featured on the list. In addition, ACG was featured again in SIERRA Magazine’s ‘Cool Schools’ list. ACG ranked 129th, leaving behind institutions like Yale and Boston University. Finally, ACG was recognized, for the fourth consecutive year, as a top performer in the AASHE’s Sustainable Campus Index, achieving the top spot in the area of Wellbeing & Work, tying for third place in the area of Grounds, and ranking fifth in Food & Dining.
• In December 2019, the Office of Public Affairs submitted the 3rd AASHE STARS Report. The report reflects a collective two- year effort coordinated by the Office of Public Affairs and supported by all ACG departments that are currently engaged in sustainability-related activities and practices –including all academic departments, the Office of Operations, Technical Services and the ACG Center of Excellence for Sustainability.
• At the end of 2019, the Adecco Group, the world’s largest Human Resources provider and temporary staffing firm, published the fourth edition of its Inovantage Report on “Sustainable Workforce – Driving Eco-friendly Growth”. The ACG Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, gave her recommendations to businesses operating in the Greek market and was featured in the report.
• In January 2020 and in the context of the Smoke-free Campus Campaign, signs featuring the anti-smoking law were placed at key areas on all campuses. In addition, on January 20, 2020, the first Smoke-free Campus Info-session took place. The session targeted ACG faculty and staff in order to inform our community about the anti-smoking law and its implementation on campus, and the support they can receive from ACG when deciding to quit smoking. VP Claudia Carydis, VP Iliana Lazana, and Dr. Panagiotis Behrakis informed community members about the above and engaged in an interactive Q&A session, responding to all questions and concerns.
• In January 2020, the ACG Sustainability Manager, Office of Public Affairs, was appointed as a member and representative of ACG at the CSR Committee of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce.
• On February 4, 2020, and in the context of the #ACGGoesPlasticFree Campaign, the Office of Public Affairs and the A.C. Laskarides Charitable Foundation co-organized an event on “Going single-use plastic free: The next step to sustainable growth” at the John S. Bailey Library – Events Hall. The keynote speaker was the Minister of Environment & Energy. This event was the first entirely single-use plastic-free event organized on campus!
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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.