Green Gown Awards 2018 - University of Worcester - Finalist

The University has a long-standing commitment to promote the principles of sustainability through its teaching, research and knowledge exchange activities, and to promote sustainable communities, services, businesses and use of physical resources.  Strong, sustained and supportive leadership, transparent reporting of challenges as well as successes, small sustained gains and taking staff with us at their pace are the features of Worcester’s approach.

At Worcester, we aim to give the skills and resources to students and staff, encouraging the development of their expertise. Encouraging them to translate their learning into their departments rather than creating a large sustainability team.  This has meant a slow but steady embedding of sustainability throughout the institution.

Simple measures, such as the 10 Golden Rules of living and working sustainably - scaffolding projects, internal consultancy to support and advise, small grants, student volunteer and paid roles and imaginative private and public partnerships. This demonstrates how smaller institutions can be leaders and help create future leaders, within resource constrained institutions.

Top 3 learnings:

1. Include students, staff, governors and the local community in developing your vision.
2. We can’t do this on our own.  Little by way of innovation occurs in isolation and the University of Worcester is open to collaboration and collaborative models.
3. Create many scaffolding opportunities, so colleagues across the Students’ Union and University can connect with their discipline/area of expertise.  When it’s interwoven and inspirational more people can feel motivated to balance economic efficiency, social equity and environmental accountability.