Singapore, 25 September 2025 – Singapore Management University (SMU) President Prof Lily Kong has been named Impact Leader of the Year in the Individual category at the 2025 Sustainability Impact Awards, jointly organised by The Business Times (BT) and UOB.
The Sustainability Impact Awards, now in its third year, recognise individuals and enterprises in Singapore that have made significant contributions to environmental and social sustainability. The judging panel for this year’s awards was chaired by Dr Amy Khor, former Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment.
Prof Kong was honoured for her leadership in embedding sustainability into SMU’s strategy, and for galvanising the University community to champion impactful change beyond campus. She first launched the Sustainability Blueprint in 2022, positioning Sustainable Living as one of the University’s three Vision 2025 priorities. This commitment has since been carried forward into SMU2030, the University’s strategic five-year plan, ensuring that sustainability remains a core driver across education, research, campus infrastructure, and community well-being.
Key achievements include:
- Entire campus has been certified Green Mark Platinum, with one Zero Energy building and one Super Low Energy Building.
- 40% reduction in Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 compared to 2006.
- 37% reduction in waste disposed per person in 2024 compared to 2019.
- Mandatory credit-bearing sustainability education for all undergraduates from 2024, a first in Singapore.
- Over 1,500 volunteer hours contributed by employees to environmental and social causes in AY2024.
- Establishment of flagship research platforms such as the Singapore Green Finance Centre and the SMU Urban Institute.
In her acceptance speech, Prof Kong acknowledged the SMU community and partners for aligning as “willing winds” to advance sustainability, saying: “At its best, sustainability is an ethic, embedded in a way of life.”
This accolade follows SMU’s recognition as Sustainability Institution of the Year at the 2024 International Green Gown Awards, as well as the University’s issuance of public sustainability bond by a university (S$150 million at 2.022%), which supports green buildings, scholarships, and community programmes.
Looking ahead, Prof Kong noted that SMU will extend sustainability education into the lifelong learning space, deepen regional collaborations, and embed higher green standards in upcoming campus renewal projects.
For more information: https://sustainability.smu.edu.sg
