10 universities ban fossil fuel industry recruitment, as Aberystywth ends careers relationships with oil, gas and mining companies

4 Dec 2024 09:46,
Aberystwyth University building

Aberystwyth University has committed to ending its recruitment ties with fossil fuel and mining companies. In doing so, it becomes the 10th UK university and the 3rd in Wales to exclude the fossil fuel industry from its careers and recruitment activities.

In an updated Ethical Careers Policy published on Aberystwyth’s website, the university states that it will “no longer collaborate or hold relationships” with fossil fuel, mining or tobacco companies.

The announcement makes Aberystwyth the 10th UK university and the 3rd in Wales to publish such a policy, following similar commitments from the Universities of Swansea in November 2023 and Wrexham in December 2022.

Aberystwyth made its commitment as part of the Fossil Free Careers campaign, a nationwide campaign coordinated by charity People & Planet. The campaign demands university careers services adopt an Ethical Careers Policy that excludes oil, gas and mining companies from recruitment relationships, in order to “end recruitment pipelines” into extractive industries.

Fossil Free Careers has been endorsed by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU), as well as by 26 campus-based Students’ and Worker Union branches. Student campaigners across the UK are using this latest victory to push for similar exclusions at their own universities, particularly at the University of Bangor, where students have been negotiating for fossil fuel industry exclusions since September.

Josie Mizen, Co-Director for Climate Justice at People & Planet said:

“We’re delighted to see Aberystwyth committing to cutting fossil fuel and mining companies out of its careers and recruitment activities. By doing this, the university is sending a clear message: that it will put the future of its students ahead of fossil fuel industry profits.

“As the climate crisis escalates, it’s never been clearer that universities have a crucial role to play in turning the tide against the fossil fuel industry. In the last month we’ve witnessed floods devastate communities from Wales to Spain, destroying homes and even claiming lives. In the face of this destruction, it’s encouraging to see Welsh universities leading the way in cutting ties with the companies most responsible for this crisis. We hope that more universities will follow their lead before it’s too late.”

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