Environmental Sustainability

What is the Race to Zero?

Race to Zero is the UN-backed global campaign rallying non-state actors – including companies, cities, regions, financial, educational, and healthcare institutions – to take rigourous and immediate action to halve global emissions within this decade and deliver a healthier, fairer, zero carbon world in time to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

All members are committed to race towards the same overarching goal: reducing emissions across all scopes swiftly and fairly in line with science, with transparent action plans, robust near-term and long-term targets, and annual reporting against their progress.

How will we achieve Net Zero?

To help reach Net Zero, we have created:

• An Environmental Sustainability Strategic Framework, setting out ‘enablers’ for achieving our vision

• Published Carbon Reduction Plans for both scopes 1 and 2 and scope 3.

• Drawn up a suite of supporting policies

• Embedded our approach to net zero in our governance

• Outlined progress to date in our Environmental Sustainability Annual Review

Ethical investment and banking

The University has a Responsible Investment Policy which covers all cash deposits, investments and banking arrangements.  The University currently banks with Lloyds Bank.

Investments and banking are overseen by the University’s Sustainability and Resources Committee which has a student governor as a member.

Governance and people

We have established a governance structure to help achieve our environmental goals. Our Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive is the Lead for Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is embedded across the University’s senior management. Managers with key environmental sustainability responsibilities are listed on our governance plan.