The De La Salle Lipa (DLSL) became the first academic institution in the Philippines to earn the internationally renowned Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) Silver Rating for its sustainability efforts.
STAR is a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability and performance.
It is a program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), which measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
The University's reporting efforts were led by the Sustainability and Inclusive Education Directorate, collaborating with all departments who have supported and contributed to the deployment of the school's Sustainability Roadmap, which was put in place in 2017.
DLSL President Br. Denate Jose R. Amisola FSC said the University believes in the importance of taking care of the planet and of progress that is not at the expense of the planet.
"It is a progress of inclusive societies, which are essentially sustainable societies. It is a space where our children live in a world that is safe, inclusive, where growth is inclusive, where the planet is taken care of, and where the future generations are regarded in the decisions we make today," Amisola said.
"As early as 2016, when DLSL hinged its directions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, we recognized that our mission is not apart from the rest of the world, from the rest of humanity, and, from the rest of the planet," he added.
In 2020, DLSL was acclaimed as Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) International Green Gown Awards (IGGA) Finalist for all of its three categories: Benefitting Society, Student Engagement, and Sustainability Institution of the Year.
DLSL was conferred a Silver Rating on its first application. Among the current 153 higher educational institutions (HEIs) with similar silver ratings are Boston College and Boston University, University of Ottawa, Universidad de Monterey, and University of Toronto-Mississauga.
"The contents of this STARS report are invaluable as an evaluation of past implementation, as well as a baseline from which we will benchmark future sustainability pursuits and address possible gaps," Amisola continued.
"We are grateful to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education and the STARS Steering Committee for providing this robust framework from which we can measure, validate, and communicate our stewardship efforts throughout the deployment of the plan."