About the Zilkha Center

Vision

The Zilkha Center aims to be a leader and catalyst for minimizing the environmental footprint of Williams College in ways that go beyond incremental improvements. It serves as a model, knowledge hub, and testing ground for sustainability practices and learning that embody the principles of environmental justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Mission

The Zilkha Center advances sustainability at Williams College in collaboration with departments and individuals on campus and further afield. We facilitate connections among stakeholders to design and advocate for operational change; we inform the College’s efforts to set ambitious and achievable goals and monitor and report on progress; we provide inspiration and support to campus community members implementing sustainable projects and practices; we research, implement and share best practices; we incorporate education, knowledge sharing and opportunities for action in everything we do; we embed our work in the broader local, regional and global contexts; we collaborate with peer institutions and partners to magnify our impact; and we continually review our efforts through internal reflection and external feedback.

Our work is informed by our core values of:

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity: We maintain an open and safe work environment that is welcoming to everyone.

• Systems Thinking: Our work is informed and guided by the fragile interdependence of human and natural systems.

• Responsibility: We recognize the individual and collective responsibility to protect, care for and enhance the environment for the benefit of all.

• Proclivity towards Nature: We believe that nature can be a source of wonder, inspiration, personal growth, and building community.