University of Bristol pilots sustainability behaviour change programme

18th July 2018

The University of Bristol has launched ‘Be the Change’, a behaviour change programme provided by employee engagement specialists, Green Rewards, to encourage members of staff to improve sustainability and wellbeing both on campus and in the home.

The pilot will run for three months to all 6,000 staff at the University and will focus on encouraging sustainable travel, saving energy, saving water, purchasing sustainably and wellbeing activities such as volunteering, mindfulness and keeping active. The programme will also be an important part of the University’s strategy to tackle plastic waste, with staff able to earn rewards for pledging to avoid single-use plastics, recycling more and taking positive steps to minimise their waste.

Through an online platform and mobile app, staff will be able to track their positive actions, such as walking to work, and earn ‘green points’ for taking part. Staff that earn the most points will be eligible to win vouchers to spend on local and national retailers and donations for their favourite charities. This use of gamification is a key part of Green Rewards’ success in creating mass engagement, generating excitement and raising awareness of important environmental issues.
The University of Bristol is the 9th UK University to launch the programme, joining Reading University, Bournemouth University, the University of Strathclyde, Chichester University, Swansea University, Brunel University, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Winchester.

Martin Wiles, Head of Sustainability at the University of Bristol, commented: “Sustainability is a key part of our University Vision and Strategy and we’ve got some ambitious targets to work towards, such as becoming a carbon neutral university by 2030. Engaging staff in our sustainability strategy will be crucial to help achieve our goals. We’re really looking forward to seeing how this programme can help us generate mass engagement and feed back to our staff that every small action matters."

Graham Simmonds, Managing Director at Green Rewards, said: “We live in a world where technology is how people engage in important global issues, and what inspires them to take action. The success of our university programmes is down to our use of technology and the unique opportunity it provides for employees by empowering them to take ownership of their workplace sustainability. We’re delighted to be working with the University of Bristol and we look forward to seeing positive results from the pilot.”