UWS Sustainability Statement

The University recognises the criticality of embedding sustainability into our practices and our responsibility to minimise our impact on the environment whilst fostering social equity and promoting economic viability.

We strive to inspire and educate our students, staff, and wider community to become agents of positive change, working towards a more sustainable future.

This statement aligns with Strategy 2025 which sets out the ambitions for the University and is cognisant of national and global commitments to reducing carbon emissions.

UWS Purpose

We are committed to reducing our emissions and becoming net zero by 2040, reducing the impact that delivering higher education has on our community.

We will lead activity across our core themes:

We will continue to develop the inclusion of sustainability within our curriculum, working towards achieving a platform for all students and staff to have the skills that they can empower a sustainable future with. 

Our research approach is embedded within our strive to become a stand-out university in tackling the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

Our vision is for UWS to be among the global leaders of excellent, relevant, and purposeful research aligned with the UN SDGs and to become a leader in climate change and resilience through research and enterprise activity. 

As an anchor institution within our communities, we will be seen as leaders in sustainable practices, acting as a reference and collaborating with our partners to support our journeys. 

Our Sustainability Plan covers the above in depth alongside each of our Operational Sustainability Action Areas:

We will work towards having a decarbonised source of energy for heating and powering our estates.

We will invest in new technologies that improve the efficiency of our operations and in turn reduce our emissions.

We will assess and manage climate impacts on our campuses and invest towards becoming biodiversity positive, expanding the wealth in our greenspace.

Check out our Biodiversity & Environmental Adaptation page.

We will prioritise and incentivise sustainable transport modes for travel.

Check out our Sustainable travel page, which details how UWS is promoting active travel.

We will continually assess the role of our catering delivery, diversifying the choices and educating on the impact of food choices.

We will further incentivise and collaborate on waste reduction and management.

We will continue to prioritise sourcing goods and services that create less impact on our environment and community.

Last updated: 23/09/2024