Interview: A Roadmap for Responsible Growth

Alex explains how IU Group embeds Environmental, Social and Governance principles.

January 27, 2026

By Ann Steinbach

You’ll discover:

✔️ You’ll meet Alex Caicics, Head of Sustainability & ESG at IU Group.

✔️ You’ll peek into ESG in action across IUG.
✔️ You’ll learn practical steps to put ESG into practice.

Reading time: ~3 minutes

At IU Group, sustainability is a core value. As an education provider, social impact – on students, employees and communities – is central to our approach. This interview shows how we turn these priorities into daily practice.

Hi Alex, you’re Head of Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) at IU Group. Could you tell us what your role involves and what your main responsibilities are?

ESG has become central to how modern organisations build trust and long-term value. My role is to set IU Group’s ESG direction, make sure we have the right policies, data and reporting in place, and – most importantly – turn our commitments into day-to-day practice. That means working closely with teams across HR, Legal, the rectorate, Facilities, Procurement, IT, PR and Marketing so environmental, social and governance considerations are built into decisions, not treated as an add-on. A big part of the job is also engaging with external stakeholders and being transparent about where we’re doing well and where we still need to improve – and what we do to improve. My background in corporate communications, journalism, audit and NGO activism helps me do all that.

Sustainability is a big word. Which areas of our company does this topic actually impact?

A helpful way to break it down is “E”, “S”, and “G”: environmental footprint, social impact and governance:

While we offer dual study programs on campus, online learning constitutes a substantial share of what we do (with strong distance learning and remote work models), which is why our carbon footprint is lower than in many other sectors. Even so, we have a clear responsibility to keep reducing emissions, for example through greater energy efficiency at our sites and more sustainable choices in travel and logistics.

On the social side, people are at the centre of our mission, so topics like accessibility and inclusion in our programmes, wellbeing, diversity and equal opportunities, fair working conditions, and a respectful, ethical culture are all core.

And governance is about how we make decisions and manage risk responsibly—this includes transparency and compliance, responsible procurement and supplier standards, as well as data protection, cybersecurity, and ensuring that AI-enabled solutions are developed and used responsibly and without bias.

In practical terms, ESG touches almost every part of IU, from facilities, HR and procurement to IT, academic operations and communications.

What have you been able to achieve so far in your role, and what goals do you hope to reach in the future?

In 2023, IU Group became a certified B Corporation*, the first – and currently the only – German higher education institution with this status. We measure and publicly report our carbon footprint each year and publish a sustainability report, still uncommon among German universities. We also offset the remaining footprint through certified climate projects that often bring social benefits, such as local jobs and community development.

Much of our current ESG agenda focuses on complying with new EU and German regulations. ESG has shifted from a nice to have and PR buzzwords to an expectation from investors and regulators, with more standards to meet. What was optional is becoming mandatory, from reporting to energy efficiency. This is a mindset shift toward clear, concrete commitments and pragmatic routine work.

Do you have any tips for balancing ambitious sustainability goals with the realities of day-to-day business operations?

Focus on what’s material: prioritise what matters to customers, employees and organisational resilience and be clear on the business case (cost savings, risk reduction, talent attraction, brand trust). Start pragmatically: pilot, measure, learn fast and scale what works. Embed ESG into routine processes so the sustainable choice becomes the default (procurement, travel, product design, governance). And most importantly, ethical basics should remain non-negotiable even under pressure: fairness, transparency and respect. That also starts at a personal level: being mindful of small choices, treating colleagues and students fairly, and offering extra support where the playing field isn’t equal.

And finally: What’s your personal formula for a successful sustainability strategy in just one sentence?

“Be human and pragmatic: lead with fairness, transparency and decency, trust people’s good intentions, and show that positive impact and business success can – and should – go hand in hand.”

Thank you, Alex!

From left to right:
1. Proud of B-Corp certification.

2. At the UN Global Compact Network Germany (IU Group is a member).

3. Private: Just before performing in Munich with a Latvian choir.

4. Private: Volunteering with Malteser.

*About B-Corp:

Certified B Corporations or B Corps are companies that have been certified by the B Lab as meeting high standards for social and environmental performance, transparency and responsible behaviour.

In contrast to other certificates that focus on individual products or sectors, the B Corp certificate assesses the overall performance of a company in the areas of social, ecological and economic commitment. Particular emphasis is placed on public transparency and legal accountability. Further information at: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/

Sustainability @ IU Group

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