Green Gown Awards 2014 - Sustainability Champion Award - Roisin Lyle-Collins - Winner

GUEST (Glasgow University Environmental Sustainability Team) Coordinator, University of Glasgow

GUEST is a student led environmental sustainability body of the University of Glasgow who strive to engage the broader University community to promote ecological awareness and positive environmental action.

Roisin founded GUEST in January 2012 and, alongside her undergraduate degree, has worked to steer the evolution of the organisation to become a nurturing community for personal development of the students who work or volunteer with the organisation. Now having completed her degree, Roisin focuses on mentoring the team into the next year before beginning her Masters.

The Green League Result of 2013 is evidence for the impact of the work of GUEST on the University’s environmental practice as its rank increased by 47 places since 2012. GUEST has matured the past year, now with a collectively written Manifesto and the creation of The ‘Eco -Hub’ within the Queen Margaret Union.

Top 3 learnings

1 Giving more time to creating our community in the form of team building activities in local green space
2 Giving time to reflect on our work together to allow us to collectively learn from our actions and draw our awareness to how we have progressed during our work with GUEST
3 Lastly GUEST is learning to recognise the diverse array of skills that each staff, intern
and volunteer is offering and to show gratitude for their time, towards skill share maps.

What the judges say ...

This demonstrated enormous potential for change, delivered with permanency of genuine legacy. It is a transformational model with both breadth and depth. It is an excellent example of entrepreneurship. And a beguiling, student-led initiative which has really lifted the game and covers an excellent range of initiatives which have won support from the institution’s senior management.

What it means to win ...

“The University of Glasgow has embedded sustainability within its institutional culture at all levels, from sustainability topics within our curricula to staff induction and activity. Roisin and GUEST have been instrumental in embedding sustainability within the student community. The Green Gown Award is a deserved recognition for this effort and further enhances the University’s commitment to this vital agenda.”

Anton Muscatelli, Principal

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• GUEST (Glasgow University Environmental Sustainability Team) Coordinator, University of Glasgow (click to hide)