Green Gown Awards 2016 – Best Newcomer – Bangor University – Finalist

The sustainability lab@Bangor University

Bangor University aims to become in all aspects ‘The Sustainable University’, aiming for an international and best in class reputation for our commitment to sustainable development. 

Our ambition embraces not only the infrastructure and operation of University sites and operations, but also how the University plans for growth as well as our role as a leader of change for other institutions and organisations throughout Wales, the UK, and overseas. 

The Sustainability Lab, established in July 2015, provides focus for and leadership of all aspects of the University’s sustainability.  We are developing our students and staff to become global citizens with an understanding of the challenges of achieving a sustainable, resilient world by empowering them to research and think strategically through complex problems to find balanced, workable solutions, all the while developing our institution holistically to inspire others to move towards sustainability with us.

Top 3 learnings

1 Having a mandate to lead is empowering – things happen when you have top level permission to make them happen

2 Be open minded and not too prescriptive, take time to work alongside people to identify a ‘win-win’ rather than a ‘do we have to’ response

3 Accept that change is a process and focus on people who want to join in rather than spend time on those who actively resist.

Videos

• The sustainability lab@Bangor University (click to hide)