Green Gown Awards 2021: Sustainability Institution of the Year - University of Cambridge - Finalist

Instituting change - embedding sustainability at an 800 year old organisation!

The University of Cambridge presents a compelling story of embedding sustainability into a historic, complex, and research-intensive institution. For over a decade we have worked to reduce our negative and enhance our positive environmental sustainability impacts, but recently we have seen increased commitment and drive to embed sustainability into everything we do. The first University to set a Science Based Target to achieve absolute zero energy-related carbon emissions; transparent reporting of our progress backed by independent assurance of our data; and a flagship initiative, Cambridge Zero, bringing together the collective expertise of the University to offer integrated, holistic, and practical solutions to climate change.

Our approach involves harnessing academic expertise to support policy development and implementation; providing opportunities for all staff and students to be involved; and collaborative working with internal and external stakeholders. We know there is more than we can and must do and are committed to building on our successes and learning from our and others’ experiences to further embed sustainability across the University.

Top 3 learnings:

1. Collaboration is key.
2. Be open about successes and failures – share learning.
3. Harness academic expertise and thinking.