American Campus Communities Leads Student Housing Industry in Creating Healthy, Sustainable Communities as Outlined in Company’s 2023 ESG Update

(October 15, 2024). Austin, Texas — For the past 30 years, American Campus Communities (ACC), the nation’s largest student housing company, has been committed to creating specialized, inclusive, and sustainable communities to help build a better world for the students it serves.

With the release of its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance Update today, ACC is sharing its progress toward its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, which are in alignment with and in support of its university partners’ ambitious sustainability goals nationwide.

This new report embodies our mantra to ‘Live Responsibly’ so we can make a lasting impact,” said Jason Wills, senior vice president, corporate responsibility, American Campus Communities. “As we continue to evolve and improve, we are committed to transparently sharing our progress, not only with data but also with inspiring stories of our residents, communities, partners, and team members who exemplify what it means to ‘do the right thing’ day in and day out.

Key highlights of ACC’s 2023 ESG Update include:

National Recognition: ACC made Newsweek’s list of Most Trustworthy Companies in America for the third year in a row, was recognized as a Great Place to Work for the third consecutive year and was named to Globe St.’s Best Places to Work 2023.

Reduction in Emissions and Water Use: From 2022 to 2023, the company reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 9.8% and reduced water consumption by 4.6%.

Green Building Leadership: With 40 LEED-certified developments and 11 others tracking LEED certification, the company continues to lead the industry on the green building front. In addition to LEED, ACC pushes its innovation further with a new green certification policy promoting baseline Fitwel and ENERGY STAR® certifications for new developments and acquisitions. In Fall 2024, ACC’s first Passive House-certified development, Meadows Apartments, welcomed students at Princeton University.

Mental Health Leadership: ACC partnered with the Hi, How Are You Project to scale its peer-to-peer mental health education program, offered at all ACC communities, industrywide through the College Student Mental Wellness Advocacy Coalition. ACC is a founding member of the Coalition and worked to publish the second-annual Thriving College Student Index, the largest national benchmark survey of college students’ mental wellness.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: ACC continues to support a diverse workforce: 51% of ACC team members are women and 57% are people of color. Additionally, 47% of senior management positions are held by women and 48% by people of color.

Technology: By launching a three-year technology roadmap, ACC will better utilize tools and technologies to provide the best possible experience for residents. This plan includes building automation systems to help reduce energy and water consumption and utility costs.

Sustainability Education: ACC expanded its “For the Greener Good” peer-to-peer sustainability education campaign, using the power of social media and video to reach more than 370,000 people with tips for reducing their environmental impact.

“From reducing emissions to supporting students’ mental wellness, we are steadfast in our mission to provide the best service to our student residents while helping positively impact this generation and generations to come,” added Wills. “We incorporate ESG strategies into our business processes in partnership with all of our stakeholders but not as an add-on; it’s just how we do things at ACC.”

 

About American Campus Communities

American Campus Communities is the nation's largest developer, owner, and manager of premium student housing communities throughout the United States. With extensive experience in design, finance, development, construction management, and operational oversight, the company has facilitated over 115 public-private partnership (P3) transactions at 65 colleges and universities nationwide. Visit www.americancampus.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to stay up to date on the latest student housing news.