UC Berkeley takes the top spot in QS’ first-ever sustainability rankings

October 27, 2022
Spring flowers on a branch with Campanile in background

The University of California, Berkeley’s strength in addressing the world’s greatest environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges has earned it the top spot in a new worldwide ranking that measures performance across a range of sustainability issues.

Released this week by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a leading global provider of comparative data on higher education institutions, the inaugural sustainability rankings measure an institution’s environmental and social impact across eight indicators. UC Berkeley was ranked first out of 700 global institutions for its overall impact and received perfect scores on its environmental and social impact rankings.

According to QS, the ranking effectively captures a university’s performance in advancing positive change for people and the planet—work that ties into Rausser College of Natural Resources’ mission of seeing the bigger picture and making a better world.

QS’ environmental impact ranking reflects the outward impact a university is making when it comes to building a sustainable institution, engaging in relevant and impactful research, and embedding sustainability in the curriculum. Social impact rankings are measured by how seriously an institution takes its role in creating a more equal, fair, and just world.

For more information on the ranking and methodology visit the QS website.