Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.27
Liaison Caitlin Steele
Submission Date Feb. 15, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

San Francisco State University
IN-24: Innovation A

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Rachelle Caterson
Student Assistant
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Investment Carbon Footprint Calculator

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:

In the spring of 2013, the San Francisco State University Foundation committed “to limit direct investments in companies with significant production or use of coal and tar sands.” (SF State Foundation, 2013) As part of the divestment commitment, the Foundation agreed to estimate the carbon footprint of the foundation’s equity portfolio with the intention of reducing climate-related risk of its investments.

The carbon footprint was calculated for equities in the portfolio since equities represent ownership of the underlying company. Fixed income investments and other alternative investments were not considered. Scope 1,2, and 3 emissions were included in the calculation wherever available. For companies that did not report Scope 3 figures, the sum of Scope 1 and 2 emissions was used as total company emissions. For companies which did not have emissions data on Bloomberg, emissions were estimated using industry averages. These averages were computed using a sample set consisting of stocks from selected indices and from within the portfolio.

The methodology involved three key phases: (1) gathering the required data from various data sources, (2) calculating the portfolio footprint for companies that publicly report emissions and (3) estimating the portfolio footprint for companies which do not publicly report emissions.

SF State hopes this model becomes a model for using carbon impact as a decision factor in making new investments. SF State's Foundation Board members have presented this methodology at industry conferences with the hopes of spreading the practice throughout the investment community.


Which of the following impact areas does the innovation most closely relate to? (select up to three):
Investment & Finance

A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
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The website URL where information about the innovation is available :
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Had help with collecting data from Tanvi Pradhan and Amie Lewis


Had help with collecting data from Tanvi Pradhan and Amie Lewis

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.