New-look sustainability website launched today! SORTED

7th September 2009

SORTED -The Sustainability Online Resource and Toolkit for Education 
www.eauc.org.uk/sorted
 

SORTED aims to help staff in further education and work-based learning understand sustainability and how it relates to their organisations. Funded by the Learning Skills Council (LSC) and managed by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), SORTED is the one-stop-shop for sustainability issues in further and higher education.

Launched today, the new-look website has been developed following a detailed review of its content and structure which, importantly, was based on user evaluation. As a result, SORTED has been completely rewritten and restructured making it simple and straightforward to access.

Covering all the burning issues for the sector across the UK, such as Ofsted’s new inclusion of sustainable development in inspections and the upcoming Carbon Reduction Commitment and carbon reduction targets, SORTED is THE online resource for all things sustainable allowing visitors to the website to choose their point of entry. So, whether you are at the beginning of your sustainability journey or already on the way, you will always be able to find what you need quickly and easily.

SORTED also has invaluable real-life case studies covering all areas of sustainability, giving examples of best practice and invaluable lessons learnt. For example Myerscough College, which is taking part in the government-sponsored scheme – Aquafund, saved 2500m3 of water in the first 11 months and expects to save £30,000 over the full three years of the scheme. And, Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College who turned to charity StudentForce for Sustainability to provide much needed support to help meet their sustainability commitments in an effective and affordable way.

Educational institutions today face the same sustainability challenges as other businesses in the community, for example in terms of leadership, targets, and waste and energy management. However, they also have the added responsibility to educate students to be aware of environmental issues and to prepare them for the workplace. Given this, it is vital that the sector has access to all the information it needs.

Packed with a wide range of resources, including news, reports and guidance papers, SORTED has a wealth of useful tools to help users understand what sustainability means to the sector. The design of the new site makes accessing information easy with Quick Information, a Case Study Index and a Glossary all easily available from the home page.

Iain Patton, Executive Director of the EAUC, said: “Sustainability can be a daunting prospect and SORTED tackles this complex nature. I’m thrilled that the EAUC has been able to play its part in bringing such a fantastic resource as SORTED to the sector. We are proud to have worked with the LSC to make SORTED an online toolkit that everyone can use. It doesn’t matter where an organisation is on the road to sustainability, SORTED has what you need!”

Caroline Neville, Regional Director East of England and LSC Sustainable Development Champion, added: “The learning and skills sector has a key role to play as a leader of sustainable development - in managing our people and organisations, working with our local communities and giving our learners the knowledge, skills and confidence to make sustainability a reality for all. We asked how SORTED could do more to help you in meeting this challenge and thanks to your contributions and the work of EAUC, we think it is. Let us know what you think and how we can keep improving it.”

To view all the news, case studies and guidance material captured on the new SORTED website, please visit www.eauc.org.uk/sorted/home.

7 September 2009

Media Contact: Abbie Weaver, News Editor, EAUC