Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategy

The state of the human soul and the environment are interconnected. Each affects the other.

This beautiful earth and all things on it are the creations of God. As beneficiaries of this divine creation, we should care for the earth, be wise stewards over it, and preserve it for future generations. That means gratefully using what God has given, avoid wasting life and resources, using the bounty of the earth to care for the poor and the needy, and appreciating God's creations.

At BYU, our disciple-stewardship efforts are guided by the following mission, vision, values, and strategy:

Mission

Caring for the earth and one another

Vision

A curriculum, culture, and campus that cultivates earthly stewardship

Values

Reverence and accountability for sacred resources; respect and love for God’s creations

Definitions

Sustainability refers broadly to the long-term viability of a community, system, or practice. In social and environmental contexts, sustainability is often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

In gospel terms, stewardship designates a sacred spiritual or temporal responsibility to take care of something that belongs to God for which His children are accountable. Earthly stewardship, therefore, is a charge from God to care for His creations — the earth and all things on it.

Strategy: Sustainable BYU Plan (2025-2030)

By achieving our 2030 targets, we celebrate and elevate earthly stewardship among BYU community members through learning, service, and ownership of solutions to sustainability challenges.

1. Integration of earthly stewardship into the curriculum

• 1.A. BYU adopts one or more sustainability-focused learning outcomes for all undergraduates.
• 1.B. BYU approves an earthly stewardship statement for inclusion in syllabi.
• 1.C. BYU encourages the teaching of sustainability across the curriculum. 
  1.D. BYU offers one or more sustainability courses through Continuing Education (CE).

2. Inspiring learning and service for sustainable impact

• 2.A. BYU encourages and supports interdisciplinary research on socio-ecological challenges and their solutions.
• 2.B. BYU inspires learning through outdoor spaces and experiences that invite, uplift, and testify.
• 2.C. BYU designates one or more campus spaces for student-led experiential learning and service.
• 2.D. BYU offers study abroad opportunities on sustainability challenges.
• 2.E. BYU leverages service-learning certificates.

3. Institutional pursuit of sustainable operations 

Infrastructure and landscapes: Resilient and sustainable buildings, grounds, and systems

• 3.A. BYU publishes a climate resilience framework; progress is reported annually.
• 3.B. BYU reduces total energy consumption through efficiency projects; targets are set; energy savings are captured and reported annually. 
• 3.C. BYU publishes a water conservation framework; targets are set, progress is reported annually.

Materials: Responsible procurement and consumption 

• 3.D. BYU publishes sustainable purchasing standards.
• 3.E. BYU embraces circular and regenerative systems.
• 3.F. BYU publishes an integrated waste management framework; targets are set; progress is reported annually.
• 3.G. BYU publishes guidelines for environmentally responsible technology products and services deployed on campus.

Mobility: Sustainable transportation and clean air initiatives

• 3.H. BYU publishes a sustainable transportation framework and continues to fund improvements; targets are set; progress is reported annually.
• 3.I. BYU prioritizes clean air initiatives; targets are set; progress is reported annually.

4. A personal and collective accountability for earthly stewardship and blessings

• 4.A. BYU offers sustainability training and resources to all students.
• 4.B. BYU offers sustainability training and resources to all employees.
• 4.C. BYU assesses students and employees, or a representative sample, for sustainability literacy and culture; results are used to evaluate the success of BYU’s efforts.
• 4.D. BYU uses informational tools to raise awareness and expand reach on campus.
• 4.E. BYU continues to leverage the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) for benchmarking and leadership in higher education.

5. Support for human flourishing and faith

• 5.A. BYU promotes the power of sacred spaces to invite personal revelation, comfort, and wellbeing; natural spaces are created or conserved.
• 5.B. BYU publishes a sustainable dining framework to inform healthy food choices and access on campus.
• 5.C. BYU sustains the campus community through programming that prioritizes belonging, wellness, creative expression, self-reliance, service, and civic engagement.
• 5.D. BYU nourishes campus community members through faith and sustainability initiatives centered on gospel principles of earthly stewardship.

Actions and Key Performance Indicators

BYU Sustainability's mission, vision, values, and strategy were approved by President's Council in January 2022 and revised to align with Elder Gérald Caussé's October 2022 general conference talk, Our Earthly Stewardship, and his November 2025 address, Caring for God's Creations.