School and campus policies for sustainable development should aim to create a healthy, ecological, economic and socially responsible living and learning environment for all students and staff, and to make the school or campus a model of best practice for the community where it is located.

At the university/college level, there has been considerable progress on establishing policies and programs supportive of education for sustainable development. At the K-12 level, however, this is relatively new for many school districts and boards. For an initial exploration of Canadian school district practice, please read IISD's report, Environment and Sustainable Development Policy Development in K–12 Schools in Manitoba and Canada An initial exploration (PDF - 258 kb).

IISD has also created the Sustainable School and Campus Policy Bank as an online resource of policies developed by school boards, universities and colleges to guide the sustainability of their communities. The policies cover many areas, including: curriculum, environmental management, procurement/purchasing; transportation, and others. These policies provide the context, commitment and guidelines for sustainable development actions at their institutions, and the framework for monitoring performance and results. They may serve as useful models for other institutions seeking to strengthen their own policy environment.

Find an SD School or Campus Policy

Select a link on the right to see policies listed by type, institution or country. Alternatively, enter a search term to search specific policy types.

Submit a School or Campus Policy

This is your chance to share and contribute! Does your school or campus have a policy related to sustainability that is not yet included in the policy bank? With widespread participation, we can learn from each other and the Sustainable School and Campus Policy Bank will continue to grow and serve as an important resource for improving the sustainability of our educational institutions.

Please submit your policy!