The British School of Brussels is proud to announce the renewal of its Eco-Schools status and the retention of its prestigious Green Flag for Sustainability — an international recognition of the school’s deep and enduring commitment to environmental action. During a recent visit, representatives from MOS Vlaanderen, the Flemish organisation that supports and guides schools in sustainability education, praised BSB as a leading model in Flanders. The MOS team, led by Gorik Van Helleputte, was impressed by the enthusiasm of students and staff as they showcased the creative projects, initiatives, and measurable progress achieved across the campus. Van Helleputte commended BSB for embedding sustainability not just within lessons but within the school’s culture — reflected in the choices, voices, and actions of its entire community.
BSB has become a benchmark for sustainability and environmental stewardship within international education, actively involving students across all ages in innovative green initiatives and hands-on ecological advocacy.
At BSB, sustainability is not just a policy – it is a living principle woven into every aspect of school life. From the youngest learners exploring biodiversity in the campus’s green spaces to older students leading sustainability councils and climate-focused campaigns, the school cultivates a deep respect for the environment through action and awareness.
In the classrooms, project-based learning encourages students to critically engage with the challenges of climate change and resource conservation, while extracurricular activities give them the opportunity to translate ideas into practical action. These experiences help to instil a lasting sense of global stewardship, showing students that individual responsibility and collective effort can generate meaningful change.
BSB recently launched a series of innovative Nature-themed projects for our Year 7 and 8 students, brought to life by two distinguished guest speakers who visited the school last week. Veronika Hunt Safrankova, Head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Brussels, engaged students with an impassioned discussion on the significance of trees in combatting climate change and fostering biodiversity. Adding hands-on perspective, Kevin Knevels, Head Forest Ranger at the Arboretum, introduced students to the practical realities of forest management, explaining the essential ‘free services’ trees deliver – from air purification to ecosystem support – while highlighting the urgent threats forests confront in today’s world.
These interactive sessions ignited both curiosity and responsibility, encouraging students to think critically about the role of nature in sustainability and the power of individual action.
Another inspiring event took place in October, when students across the school took part in One Tree Day, a global initiative focused on reforestation and raising awareness of the vital role trees play in sustaining life on Earth. Staff and students alike dressed in green, symbolising the strength and interconnectedness of nature, in a schoolwide celebration of environmental unity and action, with everyone encouraged to donate a Euro to the cause. Each Euro goes to the planting of a tree. A total of €261.60 was raised on the day, which translates to 261 trees planted on our behalf.
A new initiative in this movement is BSB’s “Green Team,” a student-led collective that embodies the school’s commitment to environmental responsibility by driving communication, engagement, and action around sustainability issues throughout the community. Every class in Primary has a ‘green representative’ with the Upper Primary reps working with a counterpart in a Lower Primary class to help encourage environmentally-friendly practices, such as emptying the recycling bins every week. Additionally, each representative is responsible for making sure that their classes separate their rubbish, turn off lights and power down laptops when they’re not in use. The Green Team then meets every Wednesday with our school’s environmental champions and Outdoor Learning teachers, Kate Ringrose and Carola Chambers.
“Our Green Team brings together representatives from each Year 4, 5 and 6 class. Each of these older pupils will partner with a class in Years 1, 2 and 3 to help guide and support them,” Kate said. “Our main project this year focuses on monitoring and collecting PMD and paper waste from every classroom as part of our Nude Food campaign to reduce waste across the school. Each Wednesday lunchtime, class representatives will place their bin bags outside their rooms for the Green Team to collect and deliver to Campus Operations. This system also helps us track each classroom’s environmental efforts so we can award our ‘Golden Boot’ to those showing the most commitment to turning off lights, caring for plants, and demonstrating real environmental stewardship.”
BSB weaves green values and practices into every corner of school life:
Sustainability is threaded through the curriculum at all stages:
BSB’s sustainability ethos has earned high-profile recognition:
The impact of BSB’s work is evident in the knowledge, advocacy skills, and enthusiasm of its students:
The British School of Brussels stands out as a leader in sustainability education and activism. Through the Green Team and a holistic, participatory approach, BSB empowers students not just to learn about sustainability but to become dynamic agents of change – both on campus and in the world at large.
Interested in joining the BSB community? Please contact our Admissions team for more details.
