ISZL Earns the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award

We are proud to share that ISZL has been awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag — an internationally recognised symbol of environmental excellence in education.

The Green Flag Award is part of the global Eco-Schools programme, coordinated in Switzerland by J’aime ma Planète. It recognises schools that have demonstrated a strong, whole-community commitment to sustainability education and environmental action. Schools earn this distinction by following a structured, student-led process to assess their impact, implement positive changes, and inspire long-term habits for a greener future.

At ISZL, our Eco-Schools journey began just 18 months ago, with our first chosen theme: Sustainable Food. Across our campuses, students from Primary, Middle and High School each took on a unique line of inquiry connected to this timely topic.

At the Zug Campus, Primary students focused on reducing food waste and advocating for change. They encouraged our teachers and kitchen teams to allow more student choice during lunch and successfully campaigned to remove single-use plastics from Snack Attack. In Middle School, students investigated the impact of our food choices on carbon emissions. Meanwhile, at the High School, students worked with the cafeteria team to introduce more healthy food options. Throughout the year, students engaged with a wide range of voices across our school community to better understand how food decisions are made and how we can do better, together.

To celebrate the end of this chapter in 2025, we hosted a whole-school Vegetarian Food Festival. The event brought students, families, and staff together through food, culture and creativity. Participants shared recipes, tasted new dishes, and shared stories that connected sustainability with tradition.

As part of the Eco-Schools Framework which sets out the seven steps required to earn the Green Flag Award, we created an Eco-Code, turning our learning into a shared mission statement. At ISZL, this has taken the form of a vegetarian cookbook, celebrating food that is healthy, culturally diverse, and lower in carbon impact. You can read this cookbook by clicking here.

The Eco-Schools jury praised both the impact of our work and the energy of our community:

I am truly impressed by the dedication of both schools and find it fantastic what they have achieved in just 1.5 years.

The project was very well planned and, above all, sustainable. The commitment of everyone involved – both learners and project leaders – is impressive.

This achievement reflects the leadership of our Eco-Schools Committee, the creativity and initiative of our students, and the support of our teachers, staff, and families. Together, we are building a culture of sustainability that extends far beyond the classroom.

As we begin the new school year, we will carefully select our next Eco-Schools theme and continue to find ways to make ISZL a model of environmental responsibility.

You can learn more about our environmental initiatives and vision for the future on our Sustainability at ISZL page.

We look forward to celebrating this award with our whole community at an official ceremony early in the new school year.