Pearson Receives Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Leadership Award

Pearson today received a 2013 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), at an event held in conjunction with the 2013 Renewable Energy Markets Conference in Austin, Texas.  Pearson was one of only 12 organizations in the United States to receive a Leadership Award for its green power purchase. 100 per cent of the electricity purchased by Pearson globally – over 218 million kWh in 2012 – comes from green power.

According to the EPA, Pearson’s current green power purchase is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 35,000 passenger vehicles per year, or is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power nearly 23,000 average American homes annually.

The annual Green Power Leadership Award recognizes leading green power purchasers for their commitment and contribution to growing the voluntary green power market – electricity sourced from renewable sources such as wind or solar. Winners distinguish themselves through purchasing green power from a utility green-pricing program, a competitive green marketer, or a renewable energy certificate (REC) supplier. Pearson buys RECs from 3Degrees as well as direct from utilities – sufficient green power to offset 100 percent of the electricity we use. 3Degrees uses some of the REC funds from Pearson to install solar panels at elementary schools in California. 

Pearson currently ranks number 37 on EPA's National Top 50 List. Each list highlights EPA Green Power Partners that have completed the largest annual voluntary purchases.

Pearson has a longstanding commitment to be a climate neutral company. In response to feedback from customers, learners and employees and other environmental stakeholders, we invest in energy efficiency, reducing business travel, and employee engagement on environmental issues as well as renewable energy.

Pearson has also invested in renewable energy generation at its sites and has 2.3 Megawatts of wind and solar assets installed.   Pearson facilities in the United States also seek to secure LEED, an internationally-recognized mark of excellence by the U.S. Green Building Council. Over 800,000 square feet across six Pearson buildings are LEED certified

"We’re proud to receive this prestigious award from the US EPA for a second time," said Rich Glicini of Pearson. "Green power is an important tool in helping combat climate change and we are honoured to stand alongside the many US schools and universities that also choose clean sources of electricity as part of their sustainability strategies".