Awarding Sustainability Excellence
Since 2004
Green Gown Awards are sponsored by
Awarding Sustainability Excellence
Since 2004
July 2024: To mark the unveiling of the 2024 International Green Gown Awards finalists' showcase, we hear from Diane Mak, Head of Impact Strategy at Allianz Global Investors:
“As a partner of the Awards, it has been fantastic to see the many inspirational projects across the globe that are providing sustainability solutions addressing diverse environmental and social challenges. Being part of the judging panel has also given me the great opportunity to exchange ideas and feedback for some of the projects. Our heartfelt congratulations to all the finalists – beyond delivering positive change within your institutions and communities, your projects are raising awareness around sustainability issues and will help inspire others to contribute to a more sustainable future.”
February 2024: To mark the launch of the 2024 International Green Gown Awards, we hear from Diane Mak, Head of Impact Strategy at Allianz Global Investors:
"We are very pleased to be partnering with the International Green Gown Awards, as we see the huge value of empowering the next generation to innovate and collaborate, to help drive positive long-term impacts for the world we live in. Education is a critical component in enabling individuals to make informed decisions in their journey towards generating positive change, and it has been inspiring to see the many impactful projects that the International Green Gown Awards has already helped to catalyse around the world. We encourage colleges and universities to make use of this platform and join this year’s Awards, so that the ideas of the next generation can continue to inspire and motivate action around the world for a more sustainable future."
Q&A between Charlotte Bonner, CEO, EAUC, and Matt Christensen, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing, Allianz Global Investors
Ahead of the virtual International Awards Ceremony on 17 July 2023, we are pleased to share a new Q&A between Charlotte Bonner, CEO, EAUC, and Matt Christensen, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing, Allianz Global Investors, where they discuss the impact of the international Green Gown Awards on higher and further education around the world, this year and in the future, this year’s new categories, their significance to tackling climate change, and the visions shared by both organisations.
On the launch of the 2023 International Green Gown Awards, our Headline Partner, Matt Christensen, Global Head of Sustainable & Impact Investing at Allianz Global Investors, says:
"After a very successful start to our partnership with the International Green Gown Awards last year, we are looking forward to seeing even more innovative projects and ideas from universities and colleges in 2023 on how to tackle global sustainability challenges. In particular, we are excited by the addition of the two new categories to address the crisis in biodiversity and the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. Biodiversity is becoming a major theme for financial institutions, and we are glad to see the higher education sector also coming together through the UN-backed Nature Positive Universities Alliance to play its part. Equally importantly, we must cultivate a mindset that every one of us is a stakeholder in our future and the importance of providing and promoting equal opportunities for all."
We are absolutely delighted to announce our 3-year headline sponsor partnership with Allianz Global Investors for the International Green Gown Awards 2022-2024.
Allianz Global Investors, one of the world’s leading active investment managers, announced today that it has entered into a three-year partnership with the International Green Gown Awards, to encourage the next generation to start taking action for a sustainable future.
Administered by EAUC-The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (EAUC) and supported by UN Environment Programme, the Green Gown Awards started its journey in 2004, recognizing exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges in the UK and Ireland. Since then, it took on an increasingly international presence, with the first International Green Gown Awards launched in 2013. To encourage academia across the globe to take part and exchange ideas regardless of location and scale, up to two winners are awarded in each category to distinguish between large and small institution applications.
Tobias Pross, CEO at Allianz Global Investors, says:
“With over 20 years of experience, AllianzGI is proud to be a leading asset manager in the field of Sustainable Investing. But our commitment to sustainability isn’t just about investments, it’s about being sustainable as a business – in everything we do and encouraging a more sustainable future. That’s why we are so excited to be partnering with the International Green Gown Awards, to help empower the next generation to use their ideas to make an impact on society, communities and the environment to shape a more sustainable future. We can’t wait to hear all the innovative ideas students and institutions around the globe have to build a better world.”
For the 2022 International Green Gown Awards, which are open to all universities and colleges, a new category, 2030 Climate Action, has been added to highlight the importance of achieving net-zero. Other categories include Creating Impact, Benefitting Society, Student Engagement Sustainability Institution of the Year and Next Generation Learning and Skills. Each submission needs to deliver up to four Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs).
Matt Christensen, Global Head Sustainable and Impact Investing at Allianz Global Investors, says:
”As a member of the Net Zero Asset Manager Initiative Allianz Global Investors is focused on designing sustainable investment solutions, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Achieving this target requires companies, policy makers and academia to work together in finding new ways of operating. We want to encourage the next generation to join us in thinking about creating a more sustainable future and are proud to partner with the International Green Gown Awards to support the exchange on initiatives that have the potential to make a difference.”
Fiona Goodwin, Deputy CEO at EAUC and Green Gown Awards Secretariat, says:
“We are delighted to be partnering with Allianz Global Investors. We need to ensure that we inspire and empower our young people to visualise a better future and to do all that we can to ensure that every career becomes a sustainable career. We need to turn feelings of anger and anxiety into hope and action. Education has a pivotal role to play. This is a decisive decade for our very own future and this year we look forward to International Green Gown Award applications from around the world to reflect the urgency and innovation. We look forward to working closely with AllianzGI to show on a global scale the crucial role that education has for a just and fair transition to a more sustainable world.”
Commenting on the partnership:
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