University of Plymouth awarded 1st class in the People & Planet Green League 2011
- Ranked 4th with a score of 49.5 out of 70 (28.5 for policy, 21 for performance)
Case Study from the University
When HEFCE funding for our Centre for Sustainable Futures finished in July 2010 we challenged the view that it could only be sustained with continued additional funding. Our mission was to embed and develop its work but within existing structures and operations. With sustainability enshrined as one of the key ambitions within the Corporate Plan and under the leadership of Professor David Wheeler, the newly appointed Pro Vice Chancellor for Sustainability we developed a tri-cameral structure:
- the Institute for Sustainable Solutions Research (ISSR)
- the CSF within the Teaching and Learning Directorate (T&L)
- the Office of Procurement and Sustainability (OPS)
Each with its own Director who jointly form the Sustainability Executive, we have delivered:
- 200 active sustainability researchers with 6 key research centres
- Over 2000 modules across 81 programmes now with sustainability content
- Continued pedagogic research around sustainability education
- Opportunities for student learning projects and placement within OPS
- Sustainability embedded in our governance structure
- Evidence based sustainability performance
- Revision of policy and strategy based on our research centres, e.g. Space Utilisation, Food and Travel Policies
- Involvement of a wide range of staff and students in projects, e.g. carbon management
- A holistic approach to sustainability within our operations from buying stationery through to major capital investment
Sustainability is now an integral part of how we make decisions; balancing the tensions across the triple bottom line. We have built on the threads drawn together by the CSF and they are now woven into our institutional fabric.
Scorecard
So how did University of Plymouth score against the 13 Policy & Performance criteria in the People & Planet Green League 2011? Check out the full breakdown below.
Policy & Management Section
1. Environmental Policy
Total Score: 3/5 points.
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
Does University of Plymouth have a publicly available environmental policy? |
1 |
Is it reported on annually at a senior level? |
2 |
Does it set SMART targets reduce environmental impacts in all the following areas?:
|
0 |
2. Environmental Management Staff FTE
Total Score: 6/8 points.
University of Plymouth has 1.3 staff dedicated to environmental management per 5000 students (capped at 15,000 students), giving a score of 6 out of 8 points.
3. Environmental Auditing and Management Systems
Total Score: 6.5/8 points.
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
University of Plymouth has audited its environmental impacts in the following areas within the last five years (0.5 points for each area):
|
2.5 |
Does University of Plymouth operate an externally audited Environmental Management System (e.g. ISO14001, EMAS, Ecocampus, Green Dragon, IEMA Acorn Scheme [BS8885])? |
4 |
4. Ethical Investment
Total Score: 1/3 points.
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
Does University of Plymouth have a publicly available ethical investment policy? |
1 |
Is the publicly available ethical investment policy reported on annually and/or are there ongoing opportunities for staff, students and other stakeholders to engage with the policy? |
0 |
Has University of Plymouth, on ethical grounds: a) divested, b) invested, c) engaged with companies as a shareholder, or d) changed banking provider in the last year? |
0 |
5. Carbon Management
Total Score: 5/7 points.
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
Does University of Plymouth have a publicly available Carbon Management Plan which meets the Carbon Trust and Capital Investment Framework requirements? |
2 |
How ambitious is University of Plymouth’s average annual % carbon reduction target (calculated from an institution’s short-term targets from a 2005 baseline) |
2 |
The scope of University of Plymouth’s carbon management plan baseline & targets includes emissions from the following areas:
|
1 |
6. Fairtrade & Ethical Procurement
Total Score: 1.5/2 points.
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
Is University of Plymouth an accredited Fairtrade University with the Fairtrade Foundation. |
1 |
Does University of Plymouth have a joint staff/student steering group with the remit of going beyond Fairtrade and increasing the sustainability of all procurement categories? |
0.5 |
Is University of Plymouth affiliated to the Worker Rights Consortium, in order to monitor the suppliers and parts of its garment supply chains that are not covered by Fairtrade certification? |
0 |
7. Sustainable Food
Total Score: 1.5/2 points.
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
Does University of Plymouth have a publicly available Sustainable Food policy which sets specific timebound targets for improvements? |
0.5 |
Is the sustainable food policy reported on annually at a senior level? |
0.5 |
University of Plymouth is implementing the following sustainable food practices or is working towards Soil Association Food for Life catering mark:
|
0.5 |
8. Staff & Student Engagement
Total Score: 2/3 points.
The following activities to engage students and staff in sustainability issues are taking place at University of Plymouth:
Students’ Union or Students’ Association associated to the institution has achieved a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award in this year’s Green Impact Union Awards (or similar) Yes
University actively supports an annual Go Green Week or Environment Week No
Staff engagement scheme to involve staff in improving the environmental performance of the university- for eg. Green Impact Universities or departmental eco-champions Yes
Initiatives to increase energy saving behaviour of all students in halls of residence (eg. Student Switch Off) No
Initiatives to increase recycling behaviour of all students in halls of residence No
Student representation on all university committees concerned with estates, planning, finance and resource allocation. No
Environmental awareness-raising campaigns that reach all students and staff Yes
Coursework linked to sustainability projects within the university/estates department. No
Availability of university funds for student or staff-led practical sustainability projects (eg. campus allotments, recycling schemes etc) No
Oversight and involvement of students and staff in the development and ongoing moni- toring of Carbon Management Plan. No
Provision of space for student / staff food-growing projects Yes
All staff inductions cover sustainability policy and issues No
Trade Union climate action groups (eg. GreenReps) or time off to participate in Union- linked sustainability initiatives. Yes
9. Curriculum
Total Score: 2/2 points.
The following activities to integrate sustainability issues throughout the curriculum are taking place at University of Plymouth:
- Is there a commitment to integrate sustainability into the curriculum in their Corporate or Strategic Plan? No
- Is there a commitment to integrate sustainability into the curriculum in their Teaching and Learning Strategy? Yes
- Is there a commitment to integrate sustainability into the curriculum in the Environmental Policy? Yes
- Is support or training made available to all staff to help them integrate sustainability into the curriculum? Yes
- Is there a review and reporting process in place to monitor the integration of sustainability into the curriculum? Yes
Performance Section
10. Renewable Energy
Total Score: 0/6
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
University of Plymouth purchases 0.00% of its electricity from renewable sources. |
0/3 |
University of Plymouth generates 0 kWh of its energy by Combined Heat and Power (CHP). |
0/1 |
University of Plymouth generates 0.00% energy on-site from Low or Zero-Carbon energy sources. |
0/2 |
11. Waste & Recycling
Total Score: 7/8
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
University of Plymouth recycles 53.60% of its total waste. |
3/4 |
University of Plymouth produces 19.63 kg of waste per head |
4/4 |
12. Carbon Reduction
Total Score: 9/10
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
University of Plymouth's average carbon emissions per head is 511.33kg CO2eq |
6/6 |
University of Plymouth has decreased its emissions since 2005 by 12.97% |
3/4 |
13: Water Consumption
Total Score: 5/6
Criteria |
Score |
|---|---|
University of Plymouth uses 3.35kl water per head. |
4/4 |
0.3558% of University of Plymouth's water comes from grey or rain water sources. |
1/2 |
