A Campus to Be Experienced, Sustainably

Over 5,000 new students are arriving on campus this year, each one full of hopes and expectations. Many young people are preparing to pass by the iconic lion statues to begin their Bachelor, Law or Master of Science programs. They will join a community that already boasts 15,000 students and 2,000 faculty and staff – all committed to making campus life increasingly sustainable, every day. So, here are some small, useful tips to start off on the right foot. For those already on campus, these rules serve as a reminder since we should all be putting them into practice every day.

Save Energy

It is needless to say that if you are staying in a university residence (but also if you are the last to leave class), turn off the light – a small gesture that makes a big difference. To help out, the University has equipped the rooms of the residences with badges to activate electricity, while special sensors turn it off throughout the entire apartment when everyone leaves. In line with this objective, the rooms’ cooling/heating systems are automatically switched off when the windows are opened. These actions result in reduced environmental impact, combined with electricity production that exceeded 1.31 million kWh/year (data from the 2023 Sustainability Report) thanks to the Bocconi solar power system and increased use of geothermal energy. This is in addition to the continuous reduction in gas consumption, leading to a 15% reduction in emissions over the 2020-2022 period. These outcomes continue to propel Bocconi towards the goal of carbon neutrality (to then aim for Net Zero).

Recycle

Recycling areas are scattered throughout campus where you can dispose of your garbage, and these 140 color-coded bins share the same colors of the system implemented by the Municipality of Milan, so you can’t go wrong. To help you in case of doubt, some of these areas are equipped with a special totem that scans the product and tells you which bin to throw it in. The goal is to increase the effectiveness of recycling and reduce waste, a project that the University launched together with AMSA and ReLearn, a startup accelerated by B4i (Bocconi for Innovation). In 2022, 4.3 tons of waste were produced, compared to 4.4 tons in the previous year. In addition, the Bocconi campus has been plastic-free for years now, and provides 76 purified water fountains that dispense about 875,000 liters per year.

Eat Sustainably

Let's be clear – eat what you prefer, but be conscious of it. In agreement with other Milanese universities and the Municipality of Milan, Bocconi promotes an urban food policy based on four concepts: 1) improving the environmental footprint of the food consumed; 2) prioritizing locally-sourced foods and seasonality; 3) promoting food that has the best standards for the consumer; and 4) enhancing the social footprint of food through ethical manufacturers and supply chain. How does Bocconi put these into practice? Through actions towards suppliers, who are also required to put the right initiatives – with the same scope – in place, and through the promotion of ethical behavior in the purchase and consumption of food on campus.

Commute with Low Impact

Opt for public transport and sustainable mobility. With regard to the latter, know that the University is a member of Euromobility and therefore has access to a series of agreements to embrace a greener and more affordable mode of transport. You can find more information on active agreements here.

These are obviously small gestures, but ones that we really care about as a community, because the single steps of everyone can contribute to massive strides for all.

Translated by Rosa Palmieri