Kellogg’s commitment to a sustainable future

Learn more about the school’s undertaking to reduce its carbon footprint.
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Kellogg
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Kellogg School of Management is committed to being a leader not just in business education but in environmental stewardship. As part of its broader mission, the school is taking concrete steps to reduce its carbon footprint and build a more sustainable future. 

In partnership with Northwestern University, Kellogg is pursuing several strategies to achieve this goal, including reducing energy consumption in its facilities. For example, any future Kellogg facility,  including the new building currently under construction and scheduled to open in fall 2027, will be built with an all-electric future in mind and designed to maximize energy efficiency. 

Measuring what matters 

As part of its commitment, Kellogg has engaged in the regular assessment of its building and organizational emissions to identify further opportunities for carbon reduction. This approach has focused on taking inventory of Kellogg's Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. 

Scope 1 includes direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from sources such as natural gas usage, fuel combustion in vehicles and refrigerant leakage. Scope 2 emissions include GHG emissions from the generation of purchased energy — specifically electricity, steam and cooling. Kellogg's commitment for Scope 1 and 2 emissions is to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2030. 

Scope 3 emissions capture the broader and often less visible impact of school operations. These include the carbon footprints of purchased goods and services, construction and building materials, operational waste, and faculty and student commuting and travel, among others. Kellogg is setting two targets for Scope 3 emissions, which contribute the largest share of Kellogg's GHG emissions:

  1. Engage with the top five suppliers contributing to Scope 3 emissions to improve their data quality and reduce emissions.
  2. Achieve a 15% reduction in food-related emissions by 2030. 

“We’re working to ensure our environmental impact reflects the values we teach — that business leadership means taking responsibility for the greater good and creating positive change beyond the classroom,” said Dean Francesca Cornelli. 

View greenhouse gas inventory results here.