UT Arlington a finalist for sustainability leadership award
The University of Texas at Arlington is a finalist in the Sustainability Leadership category for the 2023 D CEO Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Awards.
“Higher education is becoming a leader in sustainability efforts,” said Meghna Tare, UT Arlington’s chief sustainability officer. “Of course, we couldn’t achieve anything in terms of sustainability without our great partners: UTA students, faculty, staff members and the cities and school districts that are part of our overall mission to be sustainable.”
This is the sixth year D CEO, in partnership with Communities Foundation of Texas, is presenting the awards. This year’s awards recognize 125 North Texas leaders in 29 categories. UT Arlington is a finalist along with Oncor, Southwest Airlines and Twisted X. Winners will be announced at a July 20 event.
Under Tare’s leadership, UTA ranked No. 14 among American colleges and universities in the recently released 2023 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which are 17 global initiatives encompassing education, human rights, public health, community development and economic growth.
Tare is the founder and director of Regional Center of Expertise for Education on Sustainable Development (RCE North Texas), a program of the United Nations University. RCE North Texas is a multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary consortium of members who work collaboratively through capacity building, education and training. RCE North Texas is one of 179 RCEs across the world and the only one in Texas.
Earlier this year, UTA received the national Excellence in Sustainability Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers for its efforts to fight food insecurity and reduce food waste. UTA also is the first university in the North Texas area to pass a green fund, a small student fee that supports sustainability efforts on campus.
Tare spearheaded and founded the North Texas Food Policy Alliance, which aims to foster regional collaboration to develop sustainable and equitable food systems in North Texas. She also has expertise in areas such as climate change, equitable food systems, water conservation and social impact.
John Hall, UT Arlington vice president for administration and economic development, said through Tare’s efforts, the University is leading the higher education charge in sustainability.
“Anything that UT Arlington achieves on the sustainability front is in large part because of Meghna Tare and our colleagues supporting the university’s sustainability initiatives,” Hall said. “The University continues to grow in sustainability efforts with a sharper focus on sustainability in the curriculum, as well as renewable energy, in addition to the many existing programs. When UTA grows on the sustainability front, the region benefits.”
This year’s D CEO Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Awards program attracted a record number of nominations—nearly 550—demonstrating the depth and strength of the nonprofit community in North Texas and its deep engagement with the companies that support its efforts. Multiple judging sessions were held by D CEO editors, who named a total of 125 finalists.