Being a green school is not a goal, it is a path

The environment is the foundation of all further learning, work, and the future on Earth. Without a healthy planet, long-term development, including educational development, has no solid foundation.

This year, The Bridge successfully passed the audit and defended our membership in the Green Standard Schools initiative. For us, this is not a formal title, but confirmation that we can transfer the values we talk about into the everyday functioning of the school.

What is Green Standard Schools

Green Standard Schools is an international initiative bringing together language schools that actively adhere to the principles of sustainability and responsible operation. Membership is not automatic – schools must undergo an audit to demonstrate that environmental values are firmly embedded in how they teach, operate, and make decisions.

In order to call ourselves a green language school, we as an institution must meet several criteria, such as:

– systematically reducing the school’s ecological footprint,

– working responsibly with materials, energy, and resources,

– incorporating environmental topics into education,

– guiding teachers and students towards conscious behavior,

– regularly reflecting on where we can improve as a school.

Membership is renewed regularly, and the recently completed audit confirms that we do not just live these principles “on paper.”

Why sustainability is important for a language school

As a language school, we have a big impact. Every day, we work with teachers, students, and corporate clients who are learning to communicate in English in an international and global context. And language is the tool we use to identify the problems of today’s world, seek solutions, and engage in meaningful dialogue.

The school’s founder, Klaudia, has long been involved in environmental protection, having worked for Greenpeace and other environmental organizations. Thanks to this experience, we see education as one of the most powerful tools for change. Not quick change, but long-term and sustainable change.

We also work with companies for whom responsible corporate language training is a natural part of their ESG and value set.

Environmental topics as a natural part of English language teaching

English language teaching does not have to be detached from reality. Quite the contrary. We naturally incorporate environmental and social topics into English language teaching in our courses for individuals and companies. Students not only learn the language, but also:

– discuss current global issues,

– formulate their own opinions,

– develop critical thinking in a foreign language.

That is why we have prepared an E-BOOK, which serves as a practical aid for teachers and students alike and shows how environmental topics can be meaningfully and naturally integrated into language education.

Being a green school is not a goal, but a process

Being part of Green Standard Schools means a commitment to constantly ask ourselves how we can improve – as a language school, as employers, and as an educational community.

You can read about our journey towards more sustainable operations on our We Are a Green School page. We see our renewed membership and successful audit as confirmation that we are on the right track, not as a final goal.

We are proud to be among the schools that combine quality English language teaching with a responsible approach to the world we live in.

Edited by: Klaudia Bednárová / Kamila Jančíková