2022 International Green Gown Awards New Partner

21st February 2022

AllianzGI partners with International Green Gown Awards to promote exceptional sustainability initiatives at world’s universities and colleges

• Awards' focus on encouraging the next generation to take action on sustainability aligned with AllianzGI’s commitment to shaping a sustainable future
• New category “2030 Climate Action” inviting innovative ideas and initiatives for achieving net-zero aligns with AllianzGI’s membership of the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative

Allianz Global Investors, one of the world’s leading active investment managers, announced today that it has entered into a three-year partnership with the International Green Gown Awards, to encourage the next generation to start taking action for a sustainable future.

Administered by EAUC-The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (EAUC) and supported by UN Environment Programme, the Green Gown Awards started its journey in 2004, recognizing exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges in the UK and Ireland. Since then, it took on an increasingly international presence, with the first International Green Gown Awards launched in 2013. To encourage academia across the globe to take part and exchange ideas regardless of location and scale, up to two winners are awarded in each category to distinguish between large and small institution applications.

Tobias Pross, CEO at Allianz Global Investors, says:
“With over 20 years of experience, AllianzGI is proud to be a leading asset manager in the field of Sustainable Investing. But our commitment to sustainability isn’t just about investments, it’s about being sustainable as a business – in everything we do and encouraging a more sustainable future. That’s why we are so excited to be partnering with the International Green Gown Awards, to help empower the next generation to use their ideas to make an impact on society, communities and the environment to shape a more sustainable future. We can’t wait to hear all the innovative ideas students and institutions around the globe have to build a better world.”

For the 2022 International Green Gown Awards, which are now open to all universities and colleges, a new category, 2030 Climate Action, has been added to highlight the importance of achieving net-zero. Other categories include Creating Impact, Benefitting Society, Student Engagement Sustainability Institution of the Year and Next Generation Learning and Skills. Each submission needs to deliver up to four Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs).

Matt Christensen, Global Head Sustainable and Impact Investing at Allianz Global Investors, says:
”As a member of the Net Zero Asset Manager Initiative Allianz Global Investors is focused on designing sustainable investment solutions, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Achieving this target requires companies, policy makers and academia to work together in finding new ways of operating. We want to encourage the next generation to join us in thinking about creating a more sustainable future and are proud to partner with the International Green Gown Awards to support the exchange on initiatives that have the potential to make a difference.” 

Fiona Goodwin, Deputy CEO at EAUC and Green Gown Awards Secretariat, says:
“We are delighted to be partnering with Allianz Global Investors. We need to ensure that we inspire and empower our young people to visualise a better future and to do all that we can to ensure that every career becomes a sustainable career. We need to turn feelings of anger and anxiety into hope and action. Education has a pivotal role to play. This is a decisive decade for our very own future and this year we look forward to International Green Gown Award applications from around the world to reflect the urgency and innovation.  We look forward to working closely with AllianzGI to show on a global scale the crucial role that education has for a just and fair transition to a more sustainable world.”

The International Green Gown Awards Stage 1 is now open and the deadline for applications is 31 March 2022.

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About Allianz Global Investors
Allianz Global Investors is a leading active asset manager with over 700 investment professionals in 23 offices worldwide and managing EUR 647 billion in assets. We invest for the long term and seek to generate value for clients every step of the way. We do this by being active – in how we partner with clients and anticipate their changing needs, and build solutions based on capabilities across public and private markets. Our focus on protecting and enhancing our clients’ assets leads naturally to a commitment to sustainability to drive positive change. Our goal is to elevate the investment experience for clients, whatever their location or objectives.
Data as at 30 September 2021

About the Green Gown Awards
Established in 2004, the Green Gown Awards recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities, colleges and the learning and skills sectors across the world as the education sector leads a path to efficiency, employability and better quality of life for us all. The Green Gown Awards are administered by the EAUC – the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education.

The Green Gown Awards are also delivered on a regional basis in Australasia, UK & Ireland, French speaking as well as the International Green Gown Awards supported by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative, The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), L’Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and International Association of Universities (IAU).

For more information visit https://www.greengownawards.org and follow us on Twitter @greengowns.