2024 Sustainability Report: Bocconi Moves Forward with Great (Green) Strides
Bocconi University confirms its leadership in environmental and social sustainability in 2024/2025. With the achievement of ISO 14001 certification for its Environmental Management System, Bocconi has become the first Italian social sciences university to receive this international recognition, which adds to its existing ISO 50001 certification for energy management and ISO 14064-1 certification for greenhouse gas emissions measurement.
In 2024, Bocconi was once again ranked first globally in the Financial Times Carbon Footprint Rank for the third consecutive year — an acknowledgment of the University’s commitment to emissions reduction and campus decarbonization.
On the energy consumption front, the University recorded an overall reduction of 2.3% compared to 2023, with a decrease of more than 20% in methane gas usage thanks to the replacement of traditional boilers with high-efficiency heat pumps. Energy production from renewable sources exceeded 1,183 MWh, avoiding approximately 237 tons of CO₂ emissions.
From a social perspective as well, Bocconi has strengthened its equity and inclusion policies: €48.6 million were allocated to scholarships and financial aid — a 13.8% increase over the previous year — while the number of international students reached 6,328, representing over 100 nationalities.
Research remains one of the pillars of the University’s sustainability strategy: in 2024, 98 new research projects were launched, 39 of which focused on sustainability, and 150 publications addressed environmental, social and governance-related topics. During the same period, 117 courses were dedicated to sustainability, amounting to a total of 4,548 teaching hours and over 7,300 students involved — confirming an educational offering that integrates ecological and social transition across all academic disciplines.
2024 also marked further progress toward sustainable mobility, with a 22% increase in the number of bicycle parking spaces on campus. In parallel, the “The New Number Theory” project raised awareness among the university community about the impact of individual behaviors through campaigns focused on energy, mobility and recycling.
“The 2030 Vision and the 2021–2025 Strategic Plan reaffirm the central role of sustainability — in all its dimensions — as a global challenge we are all called to address,” says Riccardo Taranto, Managing Director of Bocconi University. “These results confirm the strength of our path and the consistency between our values and actions. Sustainability is no longer just a goal, but a guiding principle that permeates every aspect of university life: from teaching to research, from campus management to inclusion policies. The ISO 14001 certification and our leadership in international rankings are tangible signs of our collective commitment to a more responsible and inclusive future.”