Sustainability
We've refreshed our strategic plan to further recognise that sustaining and enhancing the wellbeing of people, places and the planet are amongst the most important challenges we face today.
Our sustainability goals and processes
Sustainability has a significant role within the day-to-day operations across all our campuses and we endeavour to include sustainable development in all of our practices.
Annual data is provided via the Estates Management Record and is available at: HE Provider Data: Estates Management | HESA
Sub-Strategy 6 approved by the Vice-Chancellor’s Group, with the Climate Change & Carbon Reduction Strategic Group responsible for steering implementation. Annual reports will be provided to the Vice-Chancellor’s Group.
The Carbon Management Plan and Sub-Strategy 6, Future Proofing the University are reported to the Safety, Health & Environment Committee which includes membership of the three recognised Trade Unions, Professional Services, Academic representatives and the Students’ Union.
We recognise the urgent need to reduce carbon from our own operations, our influence within the supply chain and the regional leadership we can provide. As a result, sustainability is one of the six strategic priorities for the university to 2028 and UCLan declared a Climate Emergency in 2019.
The University has been active in sustainability but we recognise the need to increase our efforts in Scope 1 & 2 (our direct emissions) and also Scope 3, the indirect emissions resulting from our waste management, travel, water use and procurement.
In 1995 we established the Healthy University which is a collaborative campus-wide effort towards making the University of Central Lancashire a better place to live, work and learn through a ‘whole system’ approach to wellbeing of people, place and planet.
We have adopted this ethos in our approach to delivering the changes required to reduce our carbon footprint. We are undertaking a comprehensive decarbonisation plan and how we can use our space most effectively to ensure we are not wasting energy unnecessarily. We are committed to achieve the University sector targets Universities and the climate emergency: action following COP26 and are working on our decarbonisation plan to calculate how we can bring our net zero targets forward.
The University has relevant research, courses and projects that help to expand our influence on sustainability. In particular the projects MaCaW (Making Carbon Work) and Eco-I North West, provide in-depth support to local companies to reduce their carbon emissions.
For more information or questions please contact the Sustainability Team.
To help us manage and mitigate at both the local and global level our environmental impacts (adverse or positive changes to the environment) caused by the things we do our ‘aspects’ such as travel, waste, land development and buildings, use of natural resources, procurement and pollution, the University has implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS) which has been accredited since October 2010 to the internationally recognised ISO14001 certification.
The University’s EMS is integrated with our Occupational Safety & Health Management System, which is accredited to the internationally recognised ISO45001 certification. This gives the university one cohesive Integrated Management System (IMS) to manage all safety, health and environmental aspects.
These significant aspects are managed through a range of policies, operational procedures, detailed work instructions and other initiatives such as training, awareness and practical initiatives. The University’s Integrated Management System is externally audited by the British Standards Institute (BSI) every 6 months to help reassure and demonstrate the University is managing its environmental responsibilities correctly.
Further information:
In 2007 we produced our first Carbon Management Plan and have continued building on these initiatives. Our current Carbon Management Plan 2020-2023 describes our ongoing activities to reduce carbon emissions, with a £200k annual budget for initiatives within the plan. We have numerous renewable energy projects on campus, such as photovoltaic panels and woodchip biomass heat generation. We are undertaking a comprehensive review with a building condition survey and decarbonisation study which will form the basis of a new Carbon Management Plan for 2024-2028.
We are working within the higher education sector’s target by reducing scope 1 and 2 (direct) emissions by 78% by 2035 and achieving net zero by 2050 at the latest, with scope 3 (indirect) emissions to be reduced as soon as possible.
Annual progress is reported via Carbon Management Update Reports;
Our Travel Plan, updated annually contains measures and targets to reduce solo car usage and encourage more sustainable travel choices in order to contribute to the overall reduction of carbon emissions generated by travel to the University. Through the implementation of our plan, we are working hard to help make our University campuses a healthier and sustainable place in which to work, study or visit.
The main objectives of the plan are:
- To reduce the environmental impact of the University's travel demands.
- To reduce the number of single occupancy cars arriving at the University.
- To improve the choice of transport options available.
- To ensure maximum utilisation of the University resources.
The anticipated benefits of the travel plan are numerous and include:
- By promoting and improving sustainable methods of transport such as public transport, walking, cycling and car sharing we can reduce its carbon footprint.
- Through a reduction in the amount of carbon produced, which contributes to climate change, we are benefiting the global environment.
- The local environment also benefits from improved air quality through reduced pollution levels and noise reduction.
- Reduced congestion around campus and ease of access and car parking means that commuters, visitors, deliveries and local residents can all benefit from shifts in travel modes.
- By changing from an often stressful and expensive solo car journey to more sustainable modes, commuters can take advantage of individual costs savings and health benefits.
Sustainability initiatives
We’re dedicated to reducing our carbon emissions and we’re always looking for new and innovative ways that really make an impact. If you have an idea, however big or small, please contact us and let us know.
We also would like to hear about any issues or energy matters which could be improved. You can report any arising issues in University buildings by emailing the Estates Team.
Our Strategic Plan to 2028 includes a number of key objectives which relate to sustainable food, to promote mental, physical, social and ecological wellbeing and to inspire healthy choices. We will minimise consumption of resources whilst considering sustainable procurement. Our catering service has undertaken several projects and initiatives and has forthcoming plans for 23/24 to continue to develop and promote sustainable food. We work closely with the Students’ Union on sustainable food growing and cooking projects. Please see our Healthy, Sustainable and Safe Food Policy for further information.
UCLan Catering - Foster / Harrington Refectory
- Refectories use as much compostable food packaging as possible, which is made of plant-based, recycled and biodegradable material.
- Currently 75% of the food supplies in the kitchen are from local suppliers, for example milk from local dairies, free-range eggs, and meat from a local butcher.
- Food suppliers are requested to use biodegradable or reusable packaging wherever possible.
- Refectory menus feature a variety of healthy and sustainable food options including daily vegetarian and vegan choices. The menu is regularly changed to promote sustainability and encourage students to explore plant-based options.
- Coffee served is a Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee which promotes more sustainable agricultural production and responsible supply chains.
- All eggs are free range and Freedom Food Accredited and fish is Marine Stewardship Council
- All our bananas are Fairtrade and a range of products are sold.
We engage with the TUCO buying consortium to share good practices. TUCO is committed to promoting the learning and development of catering and hospitality staff and provides quality standards, advice, and information to those working in catering. In addition, UCLan catering has started to implement the Menus of Change Programme and its Healthy, Sustainable Menus Principles. It guides the food industry about many aspects of sustainability in catering, such as nutrition, environmental science perspectives on optimal food selection, and consumer preference trends.
Edible campus
The plants and trees around campus were carefully chosen to provide habitat for birds, bees, and other wildlife, allowing students to appreciate closeness to nature while learning and benefiting from edible food. We have an orchard on campus with pear, plum and apple varieties. We also have beehives.
Healthy eating
In 2023 Student Services ran a Time Out Tent, a drop-in space on campus open to all, where the social prescribing leads from the GP surgery attended and provided resources on healthy eating and cheap recipes.
Our UCLan Staff Health Champion Network have undertaken Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) training in understanding health improvement, and are able to provide advice and signposting on healthy eating.
Students' Union
The University has supported the Students' Union activities by providing space on campus and facilities.
The Great Donate
The Great Donate was born from the knowledge that every year, when students leave University, hundreds of perfectly good household items are thrown away and end up in landfill. The Great Donate is a Students' Union initiative, based on the Preston Campus, that makes better use of these items by saving them for new and returning students. The initiative is run by student staff and has raised hundreds of pounds for our upcoming food volunteering project.
The Students' Union will be collecting pots, pans, plates and more and selling them very cheaply to students during our September and January Welcome Weeks.
Food markets
Our Students’ Union regularly organises craft and food markets on campus.
Sustainability is one of the key priorities in the UCLan strategic plan that runs from 2021 until the institution's 200th anniversary in 2028. Read our policy to find out more.
Responsible procurement
The University has an annual turnover in the region of £225 million, of which c£85 million is spent on goods and services to support the running of the University with a further £25 million on average on its capital program. We, therefore, have a significant opportunity to work with our supply chains to deliver additional benefits to the University’s students, local residents, businesses and communities.
The University ensure that decisions taken by the University on the procurement of goods, works or services are undertaken in line with our commitments set out in this code under the following themes:
- Delivering social value
- Improving environmental sustainability
- Promoting ethical sourcing practices
- Encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion
- Accessibility
The following social value outcomes are the priority areas the University has identified as best able to support the University, its students, local residents, businesses and communities.
- Opportunity: We know employment has many benefits – from creating life chances to the related physical and mental health consequences of being employed. We want suppliers to take a part in helping:
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- UCLan students to develop skills to support their personal development and employment when they leave education; and
- Local unemployed residents back into meaningful employment.
- Locality: Demonstrating visible commitment to the University’s local neighbourhood by volunteering time or skills to support local voluntary groups in making local neighbourhoods thriving places
- Environment: Making a difference to the University and the local community by making a positive contribution to a healthier environment.
While the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 only requires relevant authorities to consider social value in service contracts (and goods or works contracts where there is a services element), the University will also apply the approach to goods and works contracts with a total contract value over £150,000.
The University is a member of the North West Universities Purchasing Consortium (NWUPC), which operates under the banner of UK Universities Procurement Consortia (UKUPC), a body dedicated to improving both the quality of procurement and the level of collaborative procurement across the HE sector. Together these consortia have published a shared Sustainability Policy to which all members, including the University, are committed. UCLan is a member of Electronics Watch via NWUPC Ltd.
The University has been awarded Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation status after a successful carbon literacy pilot took place in 2021/22. Colleagues undertook training across professional services to enable them to be more confident in having conversations within their teams about climate change and carbon reduction. Each delegate undertook a pledge for their own individual actions, and a group action with their team.
Colleagues joining the University are provided with details of our sustainability policies in induction events ensuring they have the information they need to be sustainable in their roles. Information is provided to all colleagues on the intranet. A dedicated area on the Student Hub provides advice and information to students on ways to be sustainable.
Sustainability is incorporated in the UCLan Student Charter, which is shared with all students during welcome week.
The university commits to investing in a sustainable future and considers impact on the climate in all that we do. Students are encouraged to play their part in culture change for sustainability. The University takes part in an annual green week, in conjunction with the Students’ Union.
Further detail about our engagement activities can be found in our Engagement Strategy.
Written by: Agnes Altmets, Head of Sustainability
Last updated: June 2024
Review date: June 2025
Contact us
Introduction
At the University of Central Lancashire, we are committed to becoming an exemplar in UK higher education for our regional championing of environmental awareness, as outlined in our Sustainability Strategy, Priority 6: Future Proofing our University. One of the core objectives within our Strategy is to ‘take a ‘whole university’ approach to cultural and behavioural change in all areas and at every level of our work.
Through engaging with our colleagues and students on sustainability we will empower individual and collective action to support our sustainability ambitions. We will develop processes to ensure sustainability is embedded in our curriculum design and will showcase the research we undertake into sustainability.
Our objectives:
- Engage colleagues and students with our Sustainability Strategy, Priority 6: Future Proofing our university.
- Equip colleagues and students with the knowledge and skills to take transformational sustainability action both on campus and at within their
- Develop our approach to embedding sustainability into the curriculum through the Curriculum Framework.
- Develop training programmes for colleagues to provide clarity on the expectations and techniques required to embed sustainability into university operations.
- Showcase important milestones and highlight successes – internally and externally - on our sustainability journey.
- Utilise University academics to speak on a range of important sustainability issues, thereby positioning UCLan as an expert in the sustainability field.
- Promote UCLan research which examines sustainability issues, showing that as a University, we are contributing to advancing our knowledge and understanding of issues like climate change, recycling etc.
- Assist in making UCLan a destination of choice for staff and students who are seeking a university which is tangibly committed to creating a greener and more sustainable campus / student experience etc.
Representatives from the Unions are on our Health, Safety and Environment Committee.
Colleague engagement activities
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Activity |
Responsibility |
Resources |
Timeframes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Green Lab Ambassadors |
LIS |
Monthly meetings |
Year-round |
|
Travel events |
Sustainability Team |
Various active travel events |
Year-round |
|
Internal communications |
External Relations |
News stories, thought pieces, Vice-Chancellor updates |
Year-round |
Student engagement activities
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Activity |
Responsibility |
Resources |
Timeframes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Volunteering |
Students’ Union |
Various opportunities via website |
Term time only |
|
Great Donate |
Students’ Union |
Household goods donation |
Welcome week only |
|
Travel events |
Sustainability Team |
Various active travel events |
Year-round |
|
Communications |
External Relations |
Student newsletter, Student Hub articles, Digital screens |
Term time only |
The University reviews its curriculum in line with a new Institutional Curriculum Framework which came into operation from September 2020. The framework provides the vehicle for curriculum content discussions at a subject level and drives the manifestation at a course level. The institutional review is a cyclical process of consideration and review for courses.
Approval against the Curriculum Framework includes consideration of embedding sustainability within each programme. Progress is reported through Academic Quality and Standards Committee. The Curriculum Framework is a key component of UCLan’s Strategic Plan – Leading the Way in Modern Learning (Priority 2).
Sustainability is one of the key themes included in the Curriculum Framework, drawing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Course leaders and academics can access resources through the Curriculum Framework interactive site, including the ability to upload resources for others to use.
An initial working group for embedding sustainability in the curriculum has been established in 2023 and work will continue to build on the existing resources within the Curriculum Framework interactive site.
Please see the University's approach to UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Ruth Connor
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Ruth is the lead for Sustainability on Vice-Chancellor's Group.
Mike Sheppard
Executive Director of Estates and Campus Services
Mike oversees the Sustainability Team, the delivery of the Estates Enabling Strategy, Carbon Management Plan, Energy Policy and delivers actions within the Strategic Plan to 2028 relating to Priority 6, Future-proofing the university.
Bill Hancox
Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities
Contact
Bill oversees estate maintenance and facilities at the University. Environmental sustainability is embedded within these areas of work, and specific carbon-reducing projects are progressed via a dedicated annual decarbonisation budget.
Agnes Altmets
Head of Sustainability
Contact
Agnes is responsible for developing and delivering the University Sustainability Strategy, she provides guidance for colleagues and students to embed sustainability across the organisation and beyond.
Pete Hill
Lead SHE Adviser
Contact
Pete is responsible for day to day implementation of the University’s SHE Integrated Management System, accredited to the Occupational Health & Safety Management System ISO45001 and Environmental Management System ISO14001. The University has implemented an accredited EMS, since October 2010 to the internationally recognised ISO14001 certification.
Claire Lowe
Head of Space and Property Management
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Claire has a Masters in Environmental Monitoring and works across the three UCLan campuses on new developments and projects, focusing on the efficient utilisation of the estate through space management policies and principles.
Ian Korneliussen
Energy and Decarbonisation Manager
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Ian leads the delivery of the Carbon Management Plan and oversees utilities at the University.
Sarah Robinson
Head of Estates Operations
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Sarah’s areas of responsibility includes building services, waste disposal & recycling, event support, grounds maintenance, cleaning and caretaking, mailroom, parking and customer services. Sarah has taken part in Carbon Literacy and is leading a number of initiatives across campus to deliver sustainability targets.
Dave Genther
Campus Appearance Manager
Contact
Dave is responsible for the external campus environment, including biodiversity and oversees the Waste and Recycling team.
Jackie Cunningham
Catering Services Manager
Contact
Jackie oversees sustainable food aspects of all our in-house catering services, including Marine Stewardship Council fish, Good Egg Award products, Rainforest Alliance coffee, daily vegan and vegetarian options at all catering outlets in addition to measures to reduce single-use plastic.
Jamie McDowell
Outdoor Team Supervisor
Contact
Jamie’s responsibilities include waste and recycling covering the full range of collection services from litter picking to removing large unwanted objects, working with contracted waste and recycling services to minimise landfill and increase recycling.
Karl is the Director of the Centre for Waste Management and alongside academic interests leads two regional projects which engage SMEs to improve carbon efficiency within their organisations and products.
Related research
Centre for Waste Management (CWM)
We are committed to the management of waste and developing resource efficiency to create a positive impact on the many associated environmental and commercial issues.
Research Centre for Sustainable Transitions
The UCLan Research Centre for Sustainable Transitions (CST) brings together engineers, social scientists, architects and psychologists to address the challenges of climate change.
Research Centre for Global Development (C4Globe)
The UCLan Research Centre for Global Development brings together researchers from all subject areas to develop robust and equitable research partnerships that will address major challenges to society.