by Siobhan Brady
As a board member attending the conference, I was particularly drawn to the workshop led by Anthony Dixon on the opening day. With sustainability embedded as one of LYIS’s core values his session, The Carbon Footprint of Your School and What to Do About It, struck a deep chord with me both professionally and personally.
Anthony, the Founder and Chairman of The Alliance for Sustainable Schools (TASS), delivered a compelling and practical session on how schools can accelerate their journey toward sustainability. His consultancy supports schools in making realistic and impactful changes and Anthony showed his passion in every word that he shared. Anthony’s work through TASS aims to tackle systemic sustainability challenges in international schools by focusing on five key areas: campuses, transport, food, uniforms, and education for sustainability.
One of the most interesting discussions in the workshop centred around the intentional use of space in school planning. Anthony challenged us to think beyond current constraints and consider how sustainability can be designed into a campus from the ground up. He highlighted opportunities to integrate solar panels and renewable energy solutions as standard elements in both new builds and campus renovations and how sustainability should not be an afterthought, but an integral part of how we design the physical environments in which our students learn and grow.
This architectural foresight extends beyond cost-saving, with schools having the potential to become living models of sustainable practice, where buildings, resources, and behaviours all contribute to a culture of environmental responsibility. Anthony’s examples demonstrated how schools around the world are already making strides in this area, and how collaboration through networks like TASS amplifies impact and innovation.
The session also highlighted the strength of collective action. Colleagues shared best practices within their schools and discussions around food wastage prompted further conversations regarding the monitoring of food consumption and linking this to wellbeing. Anthony spoke about the growing network of schools within TASS that share best practices and work collaboratively to drive change.
I left the session both inspired and empowered. Our position gives us the opportunity and the responsibility to embed sustainability into our school’s strategy. From curriculum design and campus development to vendor selection and community engagement, the boardroom is a crucial place for sustainable thinking to take root.
Perhaps most importantly, Anthony reminded us that our efforts are not only about reducing environmental harm but that we are shaping the next generation of global citizens. By modelling sustainable practices and values, schools become powerful agents of change, helping students understand the urgency of climate action and their role in building a better future.
Thank you, Anthony, for opening our eyes to the bigger picture and giving practical solutions to lead by example to make our schools more sustainable.
by Siobhan Brady, Board Member, LYIS; Consultant
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