The IH Environmental Sustainability Scheme will seek to help its network become more environmentally sustainable via 12 themes, including introducing sustainability strategies, reducing energy usage and the environmental footprint of new school buildings and facilities, and increasing recycling.

“‘Protecting our Planet’ will become synonymous with IH around the world”

Schools that demonstrate “significant action” across the 12 themes, will be awarded a badge they can show teachers, students, and other stakeholders their commitment to sustainability targets.

“We are ambitious that every International House school, and the staff and students in them, will go further than they ever have before to take positive steps to incorporate environmental sustainability in their everyday behaviour,” said director Member Services and Client Experience at IHWO Beccy Wigglesworth.

“It is our intention that ‘Protecting our Planet’ will become synonymous with IH around the world.”

While many member schools have already taken positive actions, the 12 themes will aim to drive the organisation to go even further, it said.

IH will also provide academic resources, ideas and suggestions centrally, and share innovative initiatives amongst its school network.

“As Greta Thunberg says, ‘No one is too small to make a difference’. The International House network has over 5,000 teachers and over 200,000 students around the world.

“We are big, and we can make a difference,” Wigglesworth added.