Policy
Purpose
This policy supports the sustainability objectives, our Environmental Management System and the University Vision and Strategy 2030. The scope of our Environmental Management System includes all UK buildings and operations.
Scope
The following underlying documents have been compiled to address key impact areas: -
- Biodiversity Statement
- Energy Management Statement
- Sustainable Food Statement
- Sustainable Investment Statement
- Travel plan and Sustainable Travel Statement
- Waste Management Strategy and Waste Management Statement
Principles
The University aims to:
- Promote the Sustainability Policy, works towards best practice at all times and endeavour to continually improve environmental and social sustainability performance.
- Comply with all relevant UK and international environmental legislation and take measures to protect the environment and prevent pollution across all of our operations.
- Promote an understanding of professional and personal responsibilities regarding sustainability amongst our students, staff and other stakeholders.
- Identify and promote initiatives for including sustainability principles and practices in the curriculum relevant to the professional lives of our students.
- Offer and encourage University-wide participation in sustainability training and extracurricular opportunities.
- Work with the local community and other universities to progress sustainable development initiatives and exchange best practice.
- Promote the efficient use of environmental resources (energy, water and raw materials) and set improvement targets.
- Work towards achieving our target of net zero emissions by 2040, at the latest.
- Reduce waste and associated impacts in line with the waste hierarchy, and maintain zero-waste-to-landfill operations.
- Implement our sustainable purchasing statement and sustainable investment statement.
- Consider the environmental cost benefit for all new construction projects, retrofits and refurbishments.
- Manage a travel plan to minimise the impact on the environment by staff, students and visitors.
- Reduce the environmental and social impact of our catering operations and offering.
Roles and responsibilities
The Estates, Environment and Facilities department will be responsible for planning, management, monitoring and reporting of the implementation of this policy.
Procedure
Continually monitor, review and publish environmental performance in relation to targets and objectives, and to take appropriate steps to meet them, including the maintenance, and continual improvement of our Environmental Management System.
Advice and guidance
The University recognises that there almost all its activities entail environmental impacts and that the evaluation of such potential impacts can involve technical and nuanced considerations.
The Sustainability Team will act as the central source of knowledge for all such matters and members of the University community are encouraged to seek advice accordingly.
Failure to comply
Compliance with this policy is essential to City St George's, University of London maintaining and improving its’ reputation as an institution which prioritises sustainability and makes progress towards its Net Zero by 2040 goal. As sustainability is also measured and recognised by numerous sectoral ranking agencies, sustainability performance is of material importance to the institution in the attraction and retention of students and staff, as well as having direct impact on energy costs.
All members of the University community are requested to comply with the requirements of this policy, associated procedures and any reasonable requests issued by the Sustainability Team to support delivery of the University’s Sustainability Strategy.
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually and published on the University’s website.