ITESO recognizes its environmental commitment to its activities

Diana Alonso

The Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development (Semadet) awarded ITESO two certificates for organizing sustainable events: the 39th InterSUJ Sports Meeting and the 23rd University Cultural Festival (FCU). These recognitions are part of the Voluntary Environmental Compliance Program and reaffirm the university's commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

“I am very grateful because you help us do our work every day. […] You do it for the common good and you do it so that we can all have a better environment,” said Paola Bauche Petersen, head of Semadet, during the ceremony held in the Colomos Forest, which was also attended by Laura Guzmán Gutiérrez, director of Sustainability of the Productive Sector, and Josué Díaz Vázquez, general director of Environmental Protection and Management of the same agency.

This achievement is based on the actions ITESO has consolidated over the years to care for our common home. Since 2024, the university has held the Environmental Leader certification, the highest distinction of the state program, and between that year and 2025 it was the only institution recognized for the sustainability of its events. Furthermore, it ranks among the ten most sustainable universities in Mexico, according to the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2025.
“The environment is already sustainable because we are a leading environmental company and have all these mechanisms in place, but […] then it was about going deeper into environmental stewardship,” explained Mariana Carrillo, Operational Sustainability Supervisor, who, along with Martín Luna, Campus Management Services Coordinator, received the awards on behalf of the university. In the case of InterSUJ, the process was led by Fernanda Castañeda, from the Office of General Services.

Carrillo explained that organizing InterSUJ was a major challenge. It was a massive event with delegations from outside the city. Planning included securing accommodations in environmentally certified hotels, promoting public transportation to reduce emissions, and launching campaigns to encourage the use of public transport and the MiBici bike-sharing system. Drinking water was distributed in fountains to avoid plastic bottles, and showerheads were replaced with water- and energy-saving models. Acoustic panels were also installed in the sports dome to control noise pollution. In addition, a Green Commission, made up of student volunteers, was created to oversee waste separation and compliance with the institutional policy that has prohibited single-use items since 2010.

The FCU focused on raising awareness and promoting environmental education under the theme “Naturally Human.” The artistic performances encouraged reflection on the relationship between people and their environment. Priority was given to hiring local talent and coordinating transportation to minimize flights, thus reducing the carbon footprint. “The way it was minimized was impressive because flights are usually the biggest impact,” Carrillo noted.
Even the smallest details were designed to minimize waste: biodegradable notebooks and pencils in workshops, local suppliers with compostable packaging, and campaigns encouraging attendees to bring their own utensils. Advertising materials were also reused, and the use of external power plants was avoided by connecting everything to the campus's energy system, which includes photovoltaic panels.

“This program reflects the conviction that the environmental responsibility of the productive sector is key to moving towards a more sustainable, more competitive development that is aligned with the challenges facing our territory,” said Guzmán Gutiérrez.