McGill University has been named a top performer in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index, tied for first place in both the Research and Coordination-and-Planning categories.
It also ranked sixth in Representation and Access and seventh overall among Doctoral/Research Institutions, moving up from last year, when it ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.
Published by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the annual Sustainable Campus Index recognizes sustainable colleges and universities in 13 impact categories and overall, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS®).
“Being named a top performer reflects the McGill community’s dedication to sustainability best practices, and it’s deeply appreciated,” said François Miller, Executive Director of Sustainability. “Together, we are shaping McGill into a global leader in this field.”
Committed to the future
McGill earned its top performer status by producing sustainability research, incorporating sustainability into coursework and experiential learning opportunities, and embedding sustainability into its long-term plans and commitments.
The University’s Climate & Sustainability Strategy (2025-30) commits McGill to becoming zero-waste by 2035 and carbon neutral by 2040. The strategy also aims to increase McGill’s climate resilience and have it become a Nature Positive University that fosters biodiversity.
One of McGill’s long-standing commitments was to earn AASHE’S Platinum STARS® rating by 2030; it achieved this goal in 2024, and is one of only 16 institutions worldwide with this status.
AASHE has been publishing its Sustainable Campus Index since 2015. McGill has been listed as a top-performing institution in the past five editions. The McCall-MacBain Arts Building was featured on last year’s cover.
“On behalf of all of us at AASHE, I congratulate McGill University for its recognition as a top performer in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index,” said Meghan Fay Zahniser, AASHE’s Executive Director. “This achievement underscores not only your institution’s dedication to advancing sustainability, but also the resilience of higher education at a time of significant global and societal challenges.”