Sustainability awards
UWE Bristol and The Students' Union at UWE have gained external recognition for their efforts to improve their sustainability performance across the board – for their teaching and research, professional services, campus developments and for the commitment and creativity of students and staff.
Recent awards
- December 2024: the University was ranked as a 'first-class' university and 25th of all UK universities for its environmental and ethical performance according to the 2024/25 People & Planet University League – further details below.
- July 2024: The Students’ Union at UWE received an ‘Excellent’ Award at the NUS Green Impact Awards and were the highest scoring for the ninth year in a row.
- July 2024: the University in partnership with The Students’ Union at UWE was accredited as a Fairtrade University by SOS UK having held this award since 2006.
- June 2024: Times Higher Education impact ratings evidencing progress in relation to the 18 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ranked UWE Bristol in the top 200 universities globally and in the top 50 for five SDGs.
- November 2023: the University won the prestigious ‘Institution of the year’ Green Gown award.
- November 2023: for the 8th year in a row, our Hospitality team received a silver Food for Life award for food at four sites on campus.
- May 2023: our partnership with The Students' Union at UWE was accredited to Responsible Futures (an ESD initiative of SOS-UK) for the fourth time since 2016. In 2022-23 we were one of two national Responsible Futures Host Partnerships.
- 2022: UWE Bristol won the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award at the Green UK and Ireland Gown Awards for its Green Skills for Jobs and Entrepreneurship.
- 2022: the University was awarded a Gold level Hedgehog Friendly Campus accreditation, upgraded from the Silver award in 2021.
Previous years
For details of past awards that UWE Bristol has received for our contribution to sustainability, please email the Sustainability Team at sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.
First class award from People & Planet
People & Planet are the UK's largest student campaigning network and every year they assess the progress of all 151 UK universities' ethical and environmental performance.
In 2024/25 UWE Bristol proudly received a first class award and came 25th in the league table. This guide gives you an insight into how UWE Bristol are progressing to meet these sustainability themes.
UWE Bristol's People & Planet University League table results
Environmental Policy and Strategy
The University has an environmental policy which is regularly reviewed and updated by the Sustainability Executive Committee.
Targets and strategy
To keep us on track, the University has SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely) in Emissions and Discharges, Biodiversity, Waste Management, Travel and Transport and Water.
Staff and HR
Leadership for sustainability is guided from the top by the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the Sustainability Executive Committee Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of College (CATE), Professor Elena Marco. UWE Bristol has 14 dedicated staff working in sustainability roles along with others in key areas.
To engage and support all staff in our sustainability work, the University runs compulsory and optional training events and activities and provides sustainability networks for academic and service staff.
Environmental auditing and management systems
To check we are on the right course, the University's sustainability performance is scrutinised annually by external auditors using the international standard BS:EN ISO14001:2015 standard. This certification covers the whole institution, our Estates, Services and Educational provision.
Ethical investment and banking
To ensure transparency for any financial investments, we publish an Ethical Investment policy reviewed annually by the Sustainability Executive Committee. This policy excludes holdings in fossil fuel companies, arms companies and companies in violation of human rights.
Ethical careers and recruitment
The University wants to empower our students and graduates to make informed careers choices that meet with their values and contribute to a sustainable future. Our Ethical Careers Policy core principles are inclusivity, diversity, sustainability and social responsibility.
Managing carbon
To greatly reduce our impact on the planet, the University is committed to becoming net zero carbon by 2030 including all emissions caused on and off campus. We have a detailed Carbon and Energy Management Plan for 2030 and put significant funds into one off capital and ongoing projects on a yearly basis. We also have a detailed Travel Action Plan route to 2030.
Workers Rights
We are a Living Wage Employer and committed to improving workers' rights both within the University and across the globe. To support of farmers and producers in the developing world, we are a Fairtrade University and in terms of our supply chain we are a member of the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium which is affiliated to the Electronics Watch on behalf of it's members.
Sustainable purchasing and procurement
To ensure transparency, we have signed a Can't Buy My Silence pledge to stop using Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) for complaints about sexual harassment, bullying and other forms of misconduct.
Sustainable food
The University has a sustainable food plan which commits us to measures which reduce the impact of food consumption on campus, such as an increase in plant based food, accreditation to the Soil Association sustainable food framework, support for growing projects on campus and sustainability requirements in our tender specification for outside contractors.
View our policy and strategy documents
Student and staff engagement
Our Sustainability Engagement Strategy shows how we raise awareness and involve students and staff: from sustainability inductions, our annual Green Fortnight, to project funding, consultation with students and Trade Unions in our Carbon Management plan and student led auditing of our Fairtrade and Responsible Futures accreditations.
Education for Sustainable Development
Education for sustainable development (ESD) sits at the heart of UWE Bristol’s teaching and learning and we are proud to be one of only three UK universities to have Professor in Education for Sustainable Development. To embed ESD in all courses we have mapped each one in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals. To ensure that we are on track and to provide scrutiny we apply for and have received SOS-UK’s Responsible Futures accreditation. To support asylum seekers and refugees we offer two Sanctuary scholarships.
Energy sources, waste, recycling, carbon and water reduction
Information on our energy sources, waste and recycling, carbon and water reduction on campus are reported to the Higher Education Statistic Agency (HESA) which is publicly available along with waste, recycling, carbon and water reduction on the HESA website under Estates Management Records.
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Get involved in sustainability
Help us make a truly sustainable university a reality. Information for staff and students to get involved in positive ways, plus handy tips for greener living.
ISO 14001 Environmental Management System
Information about our ISO14001 certification and how we apply this Environmental Management System to all aspects of our organisation, with our accreditation guaranteeing external scrutiny of our progress.
Sustainability-related research and partnerships
UWE Bristol research projects and collaborations are making a difference in the field of sustainability and the environment.
Sustainability at UWE Bristol
Sustainability is embedded in our culture, research and teaching. We have already invested heavily in campus improvements and new technology, with plans underway to be carbon neutral by 2030.