Walton Fund Supports Sustainability Initiatives

Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS) at the Arizona State University (ASU) will receive $27.5 million from the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Fund to accelerate sustainability initiatives.

ASU will use the Walton investment to develop and deploy innovative solutions to meet sustainability challenges in the areas of social transformation, urbanization, climate, environment, water and energy and to promote awareness on sustainability to next-generation leaders.

The Walton Sustainability Solutions Fund will support four important strategies in the next five years. The efforts include training the future sustainability government and non-governmental practitioners and scholars via a fellowship program; establishing a global sustainability network by implementing a sustainability studies program and setting up sustainability solutions centers in three continents; providing funds for the most promising ideas in sustainability research; and delivering sustainability solutions via a consulting service, educating youth and training practitioners.

Michael M. Crow, President of ASU, stated that Rob and Melani Waltons’ commitment to sustainability program will considerably advance the university’s research work to identify local solutions for international issues and helpgenerate a sustainable future. Rob Walton, a Director of Conservation International and Co-Chair of the board of directors for sustainability at ASU, noted that the main reason for their investment is to create sustainability strategies that assure economic viability for a longer term.

ASU’s sustainability initiative will be led by Sander van der Leeuw, dean and professor at ASU’s School of Sustainability and co-director of the university’s Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative; and Rob Melnick, executive dean of GIOS and Presidential Professor of Practice in the School of Sustainability.