STARS Reporter designation

1. Determine eligibility: Confirm your institution is a college, university, or higher education organization. STARS is designed exclusively for higher education institutions, and the Reporter designation is open to any eligible institution without a subscription requirement.

1. Register in the STARS Reporting Tool: Create an account or log in at the STARS online Reporting Tool (stars.aashe.org). You can grant access to as many campus stakeholders as needed to assist with data collection.

1. Review the Credit Checklist and Technical Manual: Familiarize yourself with the five credit categories — Academics (AC), Engagement (EN), Operations (OP), Planning & Administration (PA), and Innovation & Leadership (IL). Download the Credit Checklist to map out which credits your institution can realistically complete.

1. Collect data from campus stakeholders: Reach out to relevant departments (facilities, academic affairs, student affairs, finance, etc.) to gather the required data for each credit you plan to pursue. You do not need to complete every credit.

1. Document your data in the Reporting Tool: Enter all collected information into the STARS Reporting Tool. Use the built-in guidance and AASHE staff support resources as needed.

1. Submit as an Unscored Report: When ready, submit your report as an unscored submission to earn the STARS Reporter designation. No executive cover letter, AASHE subscription, or staff review is required.

1. Receive your designation and access benchmarking: Upon submission, your institution's data is published to the STARS Benchmarking Tool, and you receive the Reporter designation and public seal. Use the benchmarking tool to compare your performance with peer institutions.

1. Update annually: Resubmit an updated unscored report each year (up to once per year) to keep your data current and reflect ongoing sustainability progress.

The STARS Reporter designation requires institutions to document sustainability data across five major credit categories, though institutions are not required to complete every credit. The framework is the same as the full scored STARS system, but submissions are unscored and not reviewed by AASHE staff.

Academics (AC) covers two sub-areas: Curriculum (e.g., sustainability-focused courses, learning outcomes) and Research (e.g., sustainability research funding, centers, and institutes). Engagement (EN) includes Campus Engagement (student sustainability programs, outreach, governance) and Public Engagement (community partnerships, continuing education, community service).

Operations (OP) is the most expansive category, covering Buildings & Grounds (green building certifications, landscape management), Energy & Climate (renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency), Food & Dining (sustainable and local food procurement), Procurement & Waste (sustainable purchasing, waste diversion), and Transportation (commuting, fleet, and alternative transportation). Planning & Administration (PA) addresses Coordination & Planning (sustainability planning, staff, and committees), Investment (responsible investment policies), and Social Equity, Wellbeing & Work (employee benefits, diversity, and campus wellbeing programs).

Innovation & Leadership (IL) is an open-ended category that allows institutions to document exemplary or innovative sustainability initiatives that go beyond existing credit criteria. For Reporter submissions, institutions self-report all data without AASHE staff review, and the information is published directly to the public STARS Benchmarking Tool.

STARS is widely regarded as the leading sustainability reporting framework for higher education globally. Launched in 2010, it has been adopted by hundreds of institutions across North America and increasingly internationally, with participants spanning the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and beyond. The STARS Reporter designation specifically serves as an accessible entry point for institutions not yet ready for a full scored submission, and it has grown in popularity as sustainability reporting expectations in higher education have increased.

Within the higher education sustainability space, STARS has no direct competitor of comparable scope or adoption. The Princeton Review Green Rating and Sierra Club Cool Schools rankings exist but are media-driven rankings rather than self-reporting frameworks. The QS World University Rankings Sustainability pillar is a newer entrant with growing international traction but operates differently. AASHE's nonprofit governance and transparent methodology have earned STARS strong credibility among sustainability professionals, accreditors, and university leadership.

Demand for STARS participation has grown alongside broader ESG reporting trends, increased student and stakeholder pressure for institutional sustainability accountability, and the integration of sustainability into accreditation standards. The Reporter designation in particular has seen increased uptake as institutions seek low-barrier ways to demonstrate commitment without the resource investment of a full scored submission. AASHE membership and STARS participation are often interlinked, making the program a central pillar of the higher education sustainability ecosystem.

STARS was developed by AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) and launched in 2010 after several years of pilot testing beginning around 2007–2008. It was created in response to a recognized need for a standardized, comprehensive framework that colleges and universities could use to measure, track, and publicly report on their sustainability performance — filling a gap that ad hoc rankings and self-reported data could not adequately address. The framework drew on input from hundreds of higher education sustainability professionals during its development.

Since its launch, STARS has undergone multiple major version updates — including versions 1.x, 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 — each expanding credit categories, refining criteria, and improving alignment with emerging sustainability priorities such as social equity, climate resilience, and responsible investment. The Reporter designation was built into the framework from early on as a no-barrier participation pathway, allowing institutions to contribute to the broader STARS dataset and benchmarking ecosystem without committing to a scored rating. Over time, STARS has grown from a primarily North American program to a globally recognized framework, with participants across six continents.