Leuphana receives distinction for exemplary environmental protection

Lüneburg/Berlin. The Federal Environment Minister, Dr. Barbara Hendricks, recognized Leuphana University Lüneburg as one of 18 organizations nationwide that set the standard for environmental protection within the workplace. The certificate was presented to Leuphana's environmental manager, Irmhild Brüggen, during an academic conference at the German Ministry for the Environment (BMUB) in Berlin.  

In 2000 Leuphana was the first university to apply to the EMAS registry for the Premium-Environmental Label of the European Union. At that time, Leuphana set the goal of making all of its university operations completely sustainable. Therefore, the principle of sustainability can be found not only in Leuphana's teaching and research, but also in the university's day-to-day operations. In the most diverse range of situations and with the support of a great variety of institutional agents sustainability has become Leuphana’s underlying standard.

Already in 2007, Leuphana decided to become climate neutral and it expects to reach this goal by 2015. Along the way, the university has adopted countless new policies. These measures include converting the university's entire energy supply to Green electricity and mailing out its letters in a CO2 neutral manner.  Its own internal campaign to change the everyday practices of its students and employees also resulted in reduced energy consumption. Most recently photo-electric panels were installed on the roofs of several university buildings, which is expected to produce approximately produce an additional 500 kWp in savings.

Chambers of industry and commerce, as well as chambers of crafts nominated businesses and organizations for the award. The jury that selected the finalists included participants from the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, the German Association for the Accreditation and Certification of Environmental Auditors, the Federal Environmental Agency, the Environmental Auditors Commission, and the Federal Ministries for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Construction and Reactor Safety.