“Community isn’t an achievement or ‘goal’. It’s a process that can’t be forced or artificial, it’s more than the sum of the individuals. It’s an outgrowth of caring, responsibility, sharing and work that is natural and well worth the effort.”
 

Semester program participant

My faith is restored in people’s ability to work for change within institutions and structures.”


-Semester program participant   

A Socially and Environmentally Responsible Study Abroad Program

 

In order to work towards a more just and sustainable world, we strive to follow socially responsible and sustainable practices as best as we can in each site.  This has been a part of our organization’s mission since our founding in 1982 and the Center for Global Education is constantly striving to identify new and improved ways to nurture our environmental and social responsibility.  Our commitment includes the following areas:

  • Salaries/employment – We strive to pay our workers a fair and livable wage and treat them better than other employers.  We also try to keep the salary differential between the highest and lowest paid workers to no more than an 8:1 ratio.  Not only is this the only ethical choice, but fair wages also contribute to staff longevity, experience, and commitment which, in turn, benefits our participants. 

  • Environmental practices/stewardship – Whether it’s through recycling, composting, or asking participants to use reusable water bottles, we work to minimize the environmental footprint of all our participants and sites where we work.  The Center for Global Education has installed several ecological dry toilets in our Mexico study center and the Namibia site uses solar powered hot-water boilers to heat showers.  We make a conscious effort to buy sustainable, local, and fair trade food and other items as much as possible.  In addition, the cooks at the Center for Global Education’s Mexico site are trained in vegan and vegetarian cooking and often use herbs grown in their own garden. 

  • Reciprocity with communities – We have established a long-term commitment in each of the communities in which we work.  Faculty/staff are active members of the community and work with communities to develop programming that reflects their interests and issues.  An honorarium is paid to guest speakers and field trip hosts. Fair compensation is given to host families and students are asked to develop ongoing relationships with them. 

  • Programming – Issues of social responsibility are at the heart of all of our programming.  Participants are asked to reflect on their impact on the environment and world.  Courses may include looking at environmental footprints and speakers embody voices that are often underrepresented in the community. In Mexico and Central America, we partner with socially responsible language schools for language classes.

  • Augsburg College– Augsburg College is a leader in environmental stewardship.  Students are encouraged to car pool, use public transportation, or a communal car or bicycle.  An Environmental Stewardship Committee has initiated a community garden, community farm share program, and purchasing wind energy.  Augsburg is a leader in service learning and community engagement and has strong community partnerships in the Cedar/Riverside neighborhood.

  • The Center for Global Education has been approved for membership in the Co-op America Business Network and pledges to conduct business according to standards that reach beyond contemporary practices in addressing the needs of consumers, employees, communities, and the environment. for more information on Co-op America, please visit: https://www.coopamerica.org/.

We regularly audit our practices in an effort to continuously improve our stewardship of financial, social, and environmental resources.