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Sustainability

At ISH, our vision is to cultivate aware, capable, and confident global citizens who are empowered to tackle the pressing challenges of the 21st century. Among these challenges, climate change stands as one of the most urgent.

For decades, ISH students have taken the lead on ecological initiatives throughout the school. In 2022, we amplified these efforts with a school-wide commitment to sustainability. Spearheaded by a passionate team of students, parents, alumni, and staff, the Let’s Green ISH initiative is at the heart of our mission to make a meaningful ecological impact within our community.

Our Goals

  • Lead by Example: Demonstrate environmental responsibility by reducing our carbon footprint and enhancing our sustainability practices.
  • Eco-Certification: We proudly achieved recognition as a certified Eco School, Umweltschule Europa, in July 2025.
  • Promote Biodiversity and reduce our waste footprint: Support local biodiversity and prioritize waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.

Our Environmental Sustainability Projects

Since 2022, GreenISH students have conducted an annual Sustainability Audit to assess the school’s environmental and social impact. This student-led initiative not only helps identify areas for improvement but also celebrates what the school and community are doing well. The 2022–23 students' audit revealed that waste management and its effects on local biodiversity were among the most urgent concerns. As a result, these became the focus of our 2023–2025 Eco-School project.

We are proud to share that in July 2025, our commitment was formally recognized with official accreditation from the Hamburg government and the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing our sustainability journey.

Meet our bees

ISH is proud to host two bee colonies on campus. Surrounded by green and the extraordinary plant diversity of the botanical garden next door, our school is a place of choice to keep bees and yield quality honey. 

Bees play a crucial role in pollination and the overall health of our ecosystems. Partnering with Place4bees, a Hamburg company dedicated to bee conservation, is a wonderful way to provide our students with hands-on experiences to appreciate their importance.

By establishing and managing two bee colonies at ISH, the students learn about bees' vital role in our ecosystems and gain a deeper understanding of how they are impacted by human activities while actively contributing to their preservation.

Additionally, the initiative aligns with our waste management goals, as beekeeping can contribute to reducing food waste through the conversion of excess honey (40kg per year) and beeswax production. Beekeeping also provides opportunities for learning about wider sustainable practices, such as organic gardening and the importance of a healthy environment.

Finally, since our community of learners extends beyond the students, our staff and other community members are also invited to participate in a beekeeping course starting each January. 

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