The Green Flag

A clear pathway to excellence in ESD

The Eco-Schools Green Flag is the internationally recognised Standard of Excellence in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). It signals that a school is not just committed in principle, but delivering sustained, measurable action across learning, operations, and community engagement. 

Eco-Schools is the foundational programme used in the development of the Green School Quality Standard (GSQS). This means schools working toward the Green Flag are already meeting GSQS requirements and also earning the Greening Education Partnership (GEP) Green School Badge as an entry point on their journey. 

How Eco-Schools Delivers GSQS and GEP Goals 

Whole Institution Approach, aligned with GSQS 

Eco-Schools embeds ESD across the entire school through a GSQS-aligned Whole Institution Approach, integrating sustainability into governance, teaching and learning, facilities and operations, school culture, and community engagement. 

Practical pathway to national greening targets 

Across diverse national and school contexts, Eco-Schools provides a scalable, realistic pathway for governments and schools working toward GSQS implementation and the 50 percent Greening Schools target. 

Direct alignment with GSQS action areas 

The Eco-Schools Seven-Steps Framework supports all four GSQS action areas. The Green Flag framework already covers over one-third of the suggested activities in School Governance, Teaching and Learning, and Community Engagement. 

Flexible across contexts 

The framework adapts to national, cultural, and school realities. Schools prioritise actions based on local needs and feasibility, working across 15 sustainability themes to deliver integrated, cross-cutting impact aligned with GSQS priorities. 

Learning by doing 

The Seven-Steps Framework promotes project-based learning, empowering students and educators to assess their context, take action, and reflect on outcomes. 

Meaningful accreditation, not box-ticking 

Recognition is process-based rather than checklist-driven, reflecting the GSQS principle that quality comes from meaningful change, not simply completing requirements.