Endowment Transparency, Shareholder Engagement, Investment Priorities as measures of sustainability commitment
As a longtime leader in sustainability, Georgia Tech has invested in its students, its alumni, its faculty and research centers, the state, and the global economy with a focus on sustainability and promoting sustainability. Our goal is to lead by example and to work cooperatively to strengthen global economies and enrich lives globally. Tech's view of the Engineer of 2020 and our methodology for the Solar Decathlong House both exemplefy this cooperative, cross organizational positive way of making changes for society and the environment.
In Georgia Tech's long history, we have been known affectionately as a "Trade School", then an "Engineering School", and now a "Research Institute". Our legacy of being leaders in built environments and academic training is well known. In the early 1990's Georgia Tech began an even more focused effort in sustainability.
Since that time, Georgia Tech has implemented a strategy to enhance existing programs and foster new R&D programs and use R&D programs for faculty development. Research facilities, faculty recruitment, endowed chairs, "seed" funds, and Centers and Initiatives became tools for this strategy. Capital Projects provide opportunity such as Interdisciplinary Research Neighborhoods that remove structural and disciplinary barriers and enhance collaboration and innovation. Our alumni and donors, the State and our Institute pulled together to make this a reality. The results are 21 Endowed Chairs and 20 Research Centers with a primary focus or projects addressing sustainability. Application of endowment earnings, unrestricted funds, grants and other appropriate revenue funds have been applied to support research, projects, innovation, and partnerships in sustainability across the board.
Our investments continue to pay dividends:.
We have over 100 courses which teach sustainability. Our students have at least one course in sustainability by the time they graduate. Every college has sustainability content in their academic and research content.Our students go back to their families (children educate parents very effectively in sustainability practices in particular) and friends to spread sustainability.
Professionals come to our executive education programs, distance and professional education programs, and topical conferences for ongoing education.
Our alumni return for updates from each other and from our current faculty, staff, and students for new insights.
Employers hire our students (over 170 companies employ more than 25 Georgia Tech Alumni) knowing they will bring with them good academic training, research exposure, and an ability to make a difference in this world, including through sustainability.
As seen in in this page's quicklinks, our alumni are influential in Atlanta, our Foundation, and increasingly around the world.
Our researchers and faculty consult with businesses on sustainability (see Enterprise Innovation Institute and Sustainable Design and Manfucaturing Research Center). Two examples include:
We encourage our students to carry their experience in sustainability with them into the global economy and implement sustainable lifestyles, economic practices, and business processes that are sustainable.
Georgia Tech has three endowments. They are managed by the Georgia Tech Foundation (GTF), Treasury Services (Treasury), and the Georgia Tech Student Foundation (GTSF).
Georgia Tech Foundation
The single largest investment the Foundation made in its history is detailed in the 2003 Annual Report.(The single largest Foundation investment (p 14 of 24).) It was for the building of Georgia Tech's Technology Square which includes Georgia Tech's first LEED certified building, which was also the state of Georgia's 2nd, and the US's 13th LEED Silver certified building since the USGBC began its program in 1998.
Additionally, the Foundation has made numerous investments in Chairs, scholarships, matching grant funds, etc in support of sustainability efforts at Georgia Tech. One example of support was the Solar Decathlon House.
Georgia Tech Student Foundation (GTSF)
The GTSF Endowment Allocations as of 6/30/08 are available via this embedded link.
The GTSF Endowment Portfolio as of 6/30/08 is public information via this embedded link.
GTSF investment priorities for equities is listed at this embedded link.
The Georgia Tech Student Foundation also allocates funds to new programs and special projects, which often include sustainability. Recent recipients of allocation grants include ....Engineers Without Borders.
Treasury Services
Treasury Services investing policies are available at this embedded link. A list of individual holdings is available via Open Record requests.