Top honour in the People & Planet University League

The University of Brighton has been ranked second in the United Kingdom for sustainability.

Brighton was declared the second greenest out of the country’s 150 universities and higher education institutions in the People & Planet’s University League 2016, published this week.

Cutting carbon emissions, increasing recycling and installing more solar panels were among the projects that helped propel the university from 21^st position last year to 2^nd – its highest-ever ranking from People & Planet, the student network with campaigns to protect the environment.

The university was awarded 74.8%, which earned a First Class honour from People & Planet, the student network which campaigns to protect the environment.

Professor Debra Humphris, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, said: “We are extremely pleased and proud that People & Planet has recognised our commitment to sustainability and the continuing success of our staff and students in improving our social and environmental impact across all areas of the university.

“Protecting and renewing our shared natural and built environment is one of the greatest issues facing our planet and everyone has an important role to play in meeting this challenge. Sustainability is, and will continue to be, a core value of the University of Brighton and, as such, we are continually striving to be leaders in our sector in this area.”

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:

“Congratulations to the University of Brighton for doing so brilliantly in this year’s Green League. From their award winning campaigning to the installation of solar panels, the university is leading the way. I know that staff and students work incredibly hard to the make their university sustainable and this award is richly deserved. Well done to all those involved!”

The University League is compiled annually by People & Planet, and ranks universities according to their environmental and ethical performance. Scores are awarded across a wide range of criteria including carbon reduction, waste reduction, sustainable food provision, ethical supply chains, ethical investment, and environmental staffing.

University of Brighton achievements recognised by People & Planet include: installing over 1000 solar panels on campus buildings; cutting carbon emissions per square meter by 10 per cent since 2011; increasing recycling rates by 21 per cent since 2012; achieving the highest possible 3 Star rating from the Sustainable Restaurants Association, the UK’s premier sustainability-focused industry body; embedding sustainability across teaching and research, and running an award-winning staff and student sustainability engagement campaign called c-change.

The success in the People and Planet University League follows on from national success earlier this month at the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges Green Gown Awards, where the University of Brighton was highly commended for Continuous Improvement: Institutional Change.

Abigail Dombey, the university’s Environmental Manager, said: “We are delighted that we’ve been deemed the second most sustainable university in the country. We’ve done a huge amount of work in this area in the past few years and it’s an ongoing priority for the university. A huge number of staff and students across the university have been involved, including the Environment Team and colleagues from Estate & Facilities Management, Accommodation & Hospitality Services, Finance, Centre for Learning & Teaching, Community University Partnership Programme, Marketing & Communications and the Students’ Union.”

For more information about the university’s work on sustainability, including our award winning c-change campaign, see our sustainability pages here.

And for more details on the university’s sustainability programme, watch this two-minute video.

Photo: the Environment Team (from left to right) – Becca Melhuish, Abigail Dombey, Tom Parkes, Rob Baker, Lucy Kimberley.