The University of Kentucky athletic department announced that it is accelerating its sustainability goals through a strategic partnership with Rubicon, an innovative leader in the global waste and recycling industry and UK's first Official Sustainability Partner.
According to the UK athletics website, the partnership is effective immediately and will include joint efforts to promote new awareness around reducing, reusing and recycling waste.
Rubicon will become the new presenting sponsor of UK Recycling's "Big Blue Crew," as well as presenting sponsor of the Rubicon "Green" Lot, a parking lot directly adjacent to Kroger Field. In addition, Rubicon's brand will appear on waste and recycling bins throughout UK's athletic facilities.
"UK Athletics is committed to operating a world-class program in all that we do," said UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart. "That includes our efforts to achieve sustainability at Kroger Field, Rupp Arena and all of our athletics facilities. This partnership with Rubicon will help us do just that."
Rubicon is headquartered in UK's hometown of Lexington.
"The University of Kentucky means so much to me, as well as to the entire Commonwealth," said company chairman and CEO Nate Morris. "We are proud to partner with UK athletics in our joint efforts to promote new awareness around reducing, reusing and recycling waste. We are eager to help accelerate the university's strategy to move toward zero waste highlighted in the Sustainability Strategic Plan."
University of Kentucky graduate and benefactor C.M. "Bill" Gatton was an early investor in Rubicon and is a strong supporter of the company.
"Nate Morris is an extraordinary young man with a unique vision, and Rubicon is a strong example of a company with deep Kentucky ties reimagining industry in America," said Gatton. "This partnership will be great for the University of Kentucky, great for Rubicon and great for Kentucky."
The affiliation deepens Morris's ties to the university, where he is "Entrepreneur in Residence," a member of the Dean's Advisory Council, and in 2019 endowed the Presidential Fellows Program at the Gatton College of Business and Economics.
