Today Plymouth Marjon University has announced its divestment from fossil fuels, updating their Ethical Investment Policy to exclude all fossil fuel investments from their portfolio. This move also forms part of Plymouth Marjon University’s larger sustainability strategy.
Plymouth Marjon University becomes the twelfth member of the Cathedrals Group of UK universities to commit to Fossil Free, taking the percentage of those with divestment commitments to 80% of the group.
Plymouth Marjon University is the latest success of the UK-wide Fossil Free campaign, which has seen two-thirds of universities commit to divestment. The campaign, coordinated by student-led campaigning charity People & Planet, demands universities exclude the fossil fuel industry from their investments, in recognition of the industry’s role in the climate and ecological crisis. As well as in solidarity with the frontline and Indigenous communities resisting fossil fuel extraction across the globe.
Campaigners at Plymouth Marjon are now calling on the University to continue to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry by adopting an Ethical Careers Policy that excludes oil, gas and mining industry recruitment on campus. This is coordinated as part of the UK-wide Fossil Free Careers campaign, which urges universities to end their recruitment ties with the oil, gas and mining industries. To date Fossil Free Careers has seen four universities adopt this policy with a number of student unions across the UK also announcing their boycott of the oil, gas and mining industries.
Laura Clayson, Climate Campaigns Manager at People & Planet, said: “It is incredible to learn that Plymouth Marjon University will be excluding fossil fuel companies from their investment holdings. Divestment is a meaningful act of solidarity with both the Indigenous and frontline communities engaged in daily resistance to fossil fuel extraction and those being impacted by the unfolding climate crisis. We look forward to the fossil fuel industry being excluded from Plymouth Marjons recruitment opportunities next.”
Simon Arthurs, Chief Operating Officer and Finance Director at Plymouth Marjon University, said: “At Plymouth Marjon University we actively embed sustainability in everything we do, aiming to make the university one of the greenest in the country. Our Marjon Zero programme includes one of the biggest ground source heat pump installations in England and installation of more than 2000 solar panels. We are also absolutely committed to ethical investment and procurement and have worked closely with our governing body to agree a commitment to divestment from fossil fuels which we're very proud of. So as well as using sustainable energy on campus, we ensure that our investments are not contributing to climate change."
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