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Sustainability department

The Sustainability department acts as a focal point for all aspects of sustainability within the ¹û¶³´«Ã½ and works to develop local, regional, national and international networks to further the sustainability agenda. 

The Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive is a member of the university executive and sponsor for sustainability. The ¹û¶³´«Ã½ established a Sustainable Development Committee in 2005, which includes student representation, chaired by the Pro Vice Chancellor Research and advises the ¹û¶³´«Ã½ Executive Board on all sustainability matters, relating to the campus, community, research and curriculum. The Academic Lead for Sustainability is Dr Heather Barrett. Students are key to our sustainability work, and the joint SU and attests to this. 

The Director of Sustainability acts as a focal point for all aspects of sustainability within the ¹û¶³´«Ã½ and is also:

• Sustainability West Midlands Green Leader
• Chair of  Midlands region
• EAUC inaugural Fellow
• On several regional and national committees in the sustainability field and a Trustee of Change Agents UK. 

Sustainability staff

Sustainability roles

Many colleagues have key roles in supporting sustainability and all must enhance environmental sustainability within their job roles. All new staff have  into sustainability, which includes, for example, learning about our 10 Golden Rules for living sustainability. There is a  in addition which is promoted to all staff and students. Residential students get a mandatory induction in sustainability, including details of projects and programmes of support. All members of the ¹û¶³´«Ã½ community can be involved to further embed sustainability by joining the Sustainability Forum. A video from the Vice Chancellor, Professor David Green, encourages participation. We have 3 ISO 14001 trained auditors and have begun an ambitious training program, and offer accredited for all staff and students, co-delivered by our students. See the staff development pages for the timetable for when the sessions run, both in person and online options are available.      

We have full-time sustainability, carbon reduction, and waste manager posts supporting the sustainability department. All sustainability department posts are full-time, the Director takes the strategic lead, and the Executive Assistant leads on . The sustainability and carbon reduction manager leads on calculating the ¹û¶³´«Ã½’s carbon data and managing carbon reduction projects – this post has a separate budget.

The department employs 40 student part-time posts, as Carbon Literacy Training Assistants, Digital Creative Assistants, Green Impact Project Assistants and Learning for Responsible Futures Research Assistants. We work with the Residential Life Team students to implement behavioural change, such as Green ¹û¶³´«Ã½ Revolution, for first-year students living in Halls or ¹û¶³´«Ã½-managed accommodation. They induct all new students on how to live and study sustainably. There’s an annual budget of £50,000 which includes funding for student-led projects.

Priorities or projects are decided by the Sustainability Development Committee, and all students and staff are encouraged to put forward ideas to help embed sustainability throughout the campus, community and curriculum. Details of current projects can be found within these web pages, many led by students.    

Staff and Student Engagement

See our community involvement.