GUPES Green Gown Awards 2016 – Latin America & the Caribbean – Uni. San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL)

Finalist

USIL, Shaping entrepreneurs through sustainability

In Peru, people from the outskirts of Lima have limited access to high quality education due to educational organizations being allocated in central districts of the city. On the other hand, districts such as Independencia stand out as an emerging district brought about by their entrepreneurs who have played a leading role in the development of the area.

In this context, San Ignacio de Loyola´s University built The Institute of Entrepreneurs-North Lima in Independencia to provide access to high quality education in a modern and sustainable infrastructure, which obtained the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design GOLD Certification. Some of the main benefits have been greater access to high quality education, savings in time and cost of transportation, 26.5% more efficiency in energy and 43% in water.

USIL´s investment is of great importance in order to continue fostering better employment opportunities and development for the people of North Lima.

Top 3 learnings

1. The change of mindset and the well-being we generate to the people who work and study there, to the environment, and the surrounding communities is invaluable.
2. Our decisions have an important impact in the development of our community, society and country.
3. Involving all our stakeholders in each step was very important as it allowed us to execute a decentralized educational and infrastructural project with a social and environmental perspective.

What it means to win

“Winning this recognition would allow us to share our efforts towards sustainability on an academic and business level and spread to other universities the commitment to form future leaders that consider the social, environmental and economic impact of their decisions, which can generate welfare and development in a global world.” 

Miaohong Huang Li, Vice President of Social Responsibility, San Ignacio de Loyola´s University

Videos

• USIL, Shaping entrepreneurs through sustainability (click to hide)