Organizational Culture:

Communication & Outreach

START Metric #25:

Networking

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Ideas & Resources

Collaboration is a key driver of sustainability. By exchanging ideas, insights, and best practices, schools can accelerate progress, avoid common pitfalls, and amplify their impact. Networking with other schools fosters a spirit of collective problem-solving, innovation, and shared accountability for building a sustainable future.

This START metric emphasizes the importance of participating in at least two school-to-school sustainability networks. While the Green Schools Alliance is one example, engaging with a variety of local, regional, or global networks expands opportunities for knowledge-sharing and collaboration. Building connections with other schools enriches sustainability efforts, strengthens community ties, and helps align your school’s goals with broader environmental and social initiatives.

Strategies for Effective Networking

  • Join Established Sustainability Networks

    • Enroll in organizations like the Green Schools Alliance, Eco-Schools, or regional sustainability coalitions.

    • Explore industry-specific networks that align with your school’s unique focus or challenges.

  • Organize School-to-School Partnerships

    • Establish partnerships with nearby schools to exchange ideas, host joint events, or collaborate on shared projects.

    • Pair with schools that have similar sustainability goals or complementary strengths to create mutual learning opportunities.

  • Host or Attend Sustainability Conferences and Events

    • Encourage staff and students to attend conferences, expos, or seminars focused on school sustainability.

    • Host your own event to showcase your school’s efforts and invite other schools to share theirs.

  • Utilize Online Communities and Forums

    • Participate in sustainability-focused groups on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, or specialized education forums.

    • Share updates and learn from others’ experiences in virtual spaces that connect schools globally.

  • Engage with Local Government and Community Organizations

    • Collaborate with municipal sustainability initiatives to connect with other schools in your area.

    • Use local community hubs as a meeting point for school-to-school networking.

  • Create a Sustainability Peer Group

    • Form a small cohort of schools with similar sustainability challenges to share resources, strategies, and results.

    • Regularly meet online or in person to discuss progress and brainstorm solutions.

  • Launch Joint Sustainability Projects

    • Work with other schools to tackle shared goals, such as waste reduction campaigns, tree planting initiatives, or renewable energy projects.

    • Pool resources and ideas to increase the scale and impact of these efforts.

  • Share Case Studies and Best Practices

    • Document your school’s sustainability successes and share them with other schools through publications, webinars, or presentations.

    • Learn from case studies and resources shared by peers to refine your own practices.

  • Participate in Student-Led Networks

    • Encourage student participation in sustainability councils or competitions that connect them with peers from other schools.

    • Support student exchange programs focused on sustainability learning and action.

  • Track and Celebrate Network Outcomes

    • Keep a record of insights gained, projects initiated, and improvements made through networking.

    • Share these achievements with your school community to highlight the value of collaboration.

‘How To’ Guides

Schools hold the key to a healthy, sustainable and regenerative future.

They are role-models and incubators that that nurture, educate and prepare each generation for adult life.

Schools have a unique opportunity and profound responsibility to become part the transition to a sustainable, regenerative future in which people and planet can thrive.

But how do we get there?

START: Sustainability Tracking, Analytics & Roadmap Tool was created by schools, for schools, to help them develop comprehensive programs for step-by-step progress towards sustainability, regenerative practice, and student empowerment.

START provides a Roadmap for School Sustainability:

It breaks down school sustainability into clear actions (‘metrics’), such as Minimizing Waste, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and supporting Sustainable Transportation options.

However, research shows it’s not enough for a school to simply reduce its environmental impact.

Students and staff also need to learn about sustainability, and practice it in day-to-day activities, because this impacts their attitudes and behaviors when they leave school. That’s why START includes metrics like Sustainability Events for Students, Sustainability Course Content, and Sustainable Purchasing Practices.

How sustainable is our school now?

Schools use START to measure how sustainable they are now. A school’s START team investigates how their school currently operates to find their ‘sustainability baseline’ for each metric. For example, is our school a beginner, intermediate or advanced in sustainable water use? START enables schools to benchmark, track and visualize their current sustainability levels, as well as hard data around their waste, water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions.

Where should we go next, and do we collaborate for success? 

What do we need to do to ‘level up’ in each metric?  Once schools have their baselines, START helps them to set goals and plan for progress. START provides a central hub for school members to collaborate, document, and plan their school’s sustainability journey.

START is a subscription-based Whole School Sustainability dashboard.

It requires at least one adult school member to create a school’s START account, but it will need a team (students, teachers and staff) to grow a Whole School Sustainability program.

Interested schools can sign up for a demo or apply to set up an account.

Learn more about START here, and consider sharing the brochure with your school.

Let’s create a better future, one school at a time.

Contact us at guides@greenschoolsalliance.org if you have a free resource to contribute or recommend that can help schools take action around this specific sustainability metric.