Sustainability with University of Plymouth

We have a strong embedded strategy for sustainability, incorporating social, economic and environmental principles across the University that have been in place for nearly two decades. This includes short, medium and long term objectives measured against baseline data. We seek to deliver continuous improvement of our performance and to research solutions for global problems. We innovate in our teaching and learning to equip graduates with the attributes necessary for applying sustainability principles in their civic and professional lives and we ensure that we operate a sustainable estate.

Transparency in our approach to implementing sustainability at Plymouth is important to us. Since 2007, we have participated in the People & Planet Green League, coming first twice and second no less than four times. In 2016, we decided to move to a disclosure framework that would be internationally recognised and so implemented the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework for a new challenge. GRI is an international independent organisation that provides a globally recognised framework for sustainability.

This enables us to report on the impacts related to our economic, social and environmental performance against aspects that are material to us and align with our sustainability targets. Since 2016, this is the framework that we have been using to publicly disclose our performance.

We are externally accredited to ISO 14001 for our Environmental Management System and the activities on our main campus site, including the Cookworthy building. We use the guidance detailed in the International Standards Organisation as a framework for how we manage our environmental impacts, our social responsibility and our consumption of utilities. The ISO standards offer an independent, non-governmental status that is internationally accepted.