TASS has always been dedicated to tackling pressing sustainability challenges within the educational sector. Reinforcing our commitment to student-led sustainability initiatives, we are proud to sponsor the ‘Students for Sustainability Award’ of the China Schools Awards 2025, organised by the British Chamber of Commerce in China.

This partnership highlights our mission to empower young changemakers and integrate sustainable practices into school communities across the region. The ‘Students for Sustainability Award’ recognises the sustainability project that best showcases its students’ innovative thought, design skills and true understanding of the impact sustainability projects have on our environment and communities.

This year, students from schools across China submitted projects on topics that included campus carbon neutrality, waste reduction, recycling, composting, and whole campus initiatives. Congratulations to the students from the shortlisted schools – Keystone Academy Beijing, Malvern College Chengdu, and Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong.

We’re excited to share their submissions below. Keep reading to learn more.

Keystone Academy Beijing – Keystone Green Action Initiative

Keystone Academy is deeply committed to sustainability, both in terms of academic content and in its everyday practices. The school’s award submission highlighted student involvement in a wide range of sustainability projects at all levels.

Sustainability is often a focus of interdisciplinary units. One student investigated cornstarch-based bioplastics, another investigated an alternative method of drug delivery with higher biosafety and lower toxicity. Primary students are involved in Keystone’s beekeeping program and learn about composting through the after school gardening project. Older students are involved in mangrove restoration and planting the budsage grid during their experiential learning trips.

The school’s Green School Policy promotes sustainable resource use and waste management. For its annual Temple Fair they introduced reusable cutlery – borrowed from Sodexo – to replace single-use plastics. Keystone observes meatless Mondays and students have developed a proposal for rewilding the campus grounds.

Malvern College Chengdu – MCC CO₂ Free 2.0

Students and staff from Malvern College Chengdu showed up to their award presentation dressed in ski jackets and beanies; even though it was mid-February, they were having a heat free day as part of their effort to reduce their carbon emissions. For this school, climate change is not an abstract concept – last year their province of Sichuan experienced several extreme weather events attributable to global warming, including a flood leading to a deadly landslide and a wildfire. The school has doubled down on their efforts to become carbon neutral. They have reduced their energy use by 20% and estimate their heat free days have cut CO2 emissions so far by 0.56 tonnes. The school has also begun to harvest rainwater to conserve ground water, cut their printing from 538,000 pages to 400,000 pages in the 4th quarter and established a tree planting program.

Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong – Waste to Wonder

Dulwich’s submission was partly about the transformation of 210 sq metres on their campus into a sustainable garden. But it was also a story of how students from the social enterprise club developed a composting business. They raised money to buy an industrial composter to treat the food waste from the canteen and the surplus was packaged with seeds and sold to parents. The students lent the proceeds to small businesses run by women in developing countries via the peer-to-peer lending platform Kiva. In addition to growing food, the garden, which was planned and designed by students, includes a range of native species to foster biodiversity and also provides employment to a member of the local community. The project has been a great example of collaboration between students, parents, teachers from various departments and members of the local community.

We look forward to announcing the winner and connecting with sustainability-driven schools at the China Schools Awards 2025 Education Forum and Gala Dinner in Beijing on March 7th!

As the date approaches, this is a great chance to celebrate leadership in sustainability and connect with educators, students, and those passionate about making a difference. Take hold of this inspiring event—secure a spot with us at the China Schools Awards 2025 here.