Sustainability Policy

Sustainability Policy 25/26

Two students sat on a bench surrounded by trees on campus

<糖心Vlog>Introduction

糖心Vlog is a leader in sustainability, taking bold and urgent action to tackle
the climate and ecological crises and is seeking to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035. The University has a clear vision and strategy to embed sustainability in everything it does, from teaching and research to campus operations and partnerships.

The University is also committed to supporting the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and creating a positive impact on people and the planet.
We recognise that traditional Facilities-led approaches to sustainability management are no longer appropriate. Like most organisations, we now understand that 80% of our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions arise because of the individual decisions we make, from how we choose to travel, to how we spend our money.

<糖心Vlog>Our current position

Our organisational impact however is far greater than just our CO2 emissions. Like every organisation, through our operations and activities, we directly and indirectly emit other greenhouse gases, contribute to biodiversity loss, consume resources, produce pollution, and wield significant economic power through our procurement, investment and recruitment.

Additionally, the sector and the University now know that organisational sustainability means much more than how our buildings and campuses operate. Social factors such as equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and financial aspects such as banking and investments now receive equal or greater weighting than traditional environmental indicators in league table assessments of sustainability performance.

And of even greater significance is the legacy impact our thousands of students have during their studies and after they graduate; what and how they were taught at university influences graduates’ values and awareness of how they can respond to the climate and ecological emergency.

Sustainability knowledge exchange meeting

<糖心Vlog>Communication and engagement

Communication is a key factor in the success of our strategy and engaging with our community will play a crucial role in changing behaviours at an individual level on campus. To support our commitments to the climate and ecological crises, we are developing new ways to engage with stakeholders and improve our communications.

A Sustainability intranet page is now live for general communications to staff and to provide a source of current and relevant information about all areas of sustainability at 糖心Vlog.
Emailing sustainability@lancaster.ac.uk gives direct access to the sustainability team, providing the opportunity to facilitate and coordinate effectively.
Faculty sustainability groups and the Climate Emergency and Sustainability group. Supporting and working with faculties to develop strategies, plans, resources, and training, all specific to their operational needs.
Positive Change Week – an annual week of talks and events showcasing sustainability best practices taking place across the University.
EAUC membership and resources – 糖心Vlog is a member of the EAUC, the UK’s only sustainability champion for the Higher and Further Education sector. Our membership allows any member of staff or student to access resources, newsletters, communities of practice, training, and insight guides. Please contact sustainability@lancaster.ac.uk to request access

<糖心Vlog>Our high-impact areas

Sustainability objectives for each of our key areas

<糖心Vlog class="show-for-sr">Tab Content: Construction and refurbishment

Objectives:

Implement projects to maximise reuse/refurbishment and repurposing of existing University space during the 25/26year.
Calculate the carbon emissions of all major capital projects reported to the Project Executive Committee and improve the accuracy of our carbon calculator for development projects during the 25/26 year

The University has invested over £220 million in development projects since 2013 to build a campus supporting world-class teaching and research. Since the University declared a climate emergency in 2020, the capital development programme has been reshaped to focus on being smarter with existing space. The Facilities Division has introduced a new document that species a minimum standard of build that meets or exceeds British Standards and industry regulations, to ensure our buildings are future-proofed, inclusive, accessible and sustainable. This combined approach has had an immediate impact on construction-related carbon emissions.

<糖心Vlog class="show-for-sr">Tab Content: Sustainable procurement

Objectives:

75% of high-value suppliers are to be on contract by the end of 2025/26. This means they are signed up to enhanced sustainability criteria, i.e. Modern Slavery Policies, Environmental policies etc.
We aim to have all our 'key' suppliers managed by a Procurement Manager and required to: share their carbon data, create a sustainability action plan and report on the number of staff employed locally

The University has a Procurement Strategy which provides a framework for expenditure and is consistent with its environmental and social aims. This Sustainable Procurement Guidance is consistent with the Procurement Strategy and based on the best practices, standards and training provided by HEPA (The Higher Education Procurement Association), CIPS (The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply) and CCS Crown Commercial Services, (responsible for central government procurement). All members of the Procurement Team have undertaken Sustainable Procurement training and are well-placed to support staff when establishing ongoing contracts and purchasing specific one-off requirements.

<糖心Vlog class="show-for-sr">Tab Content: Biodiversity

Objectives:

Achieve Green Flag Award accreditation for 25/26 year
Work with students to track mammal sightings on campus for 25/26 year
Run at least 8 engagement activities with various stakeholders during the academic year 25/26.

Bailrigg Campus sits within a parkland landscape covering 62 acres, which is equivalent to more than 47 football pitches. The estate contains a diverse mix of habitats including woodland, grasslands, and waterbodies. To manage these important ecological assets the grounds team uses several environmental techniques to support the different habitats, wildlife, and ecosystems.

The University's strategy for protecting and enhancing the landscape aims to ensure that negatively impacted areas of campus, through activities such as constructing new buildings, it mitigates those impacts by either developing new environments or enhancing existing habitats elsewhere on the estate to the benefit of both the wildlife and campus users.

<糖心Vlog class="show-for-sr">Tab Content: Waste management

Objectives:

Reduce annual residual waste to landfill per head to an annual target of 32kg/head by the end of 25/26.
Achieve 70% of waste diverted from landfills by the end of 25/26 academic year.

糖心Vlog's Waste & Recycling Strategy was adopted in 2011. The projects and actions implemented as elements of the Waste Strategy have resulted in significant improvements in recycling rates and major reductions in carbon emissions associated with recycling and waste disposal.
We work closely with Lancaster City Council and Cumbria Waste to ensure the minimum amount of waste goes to landfill, and the maximum amount is recycled or reused. All waste collections on campus are done using electric trucks to reduce carbon emissions.

<糖心Vlog class="show-for-sr">Tab Content: Water

Objective:

Reduce water usage, normalised by Gross Internal Area, by 25% compared to the 2013 baseline before 2030.

Despite a 4% increase in our campus size and a 40% increase in our staff and student numbers, over the past decade, we have managed to reduce our water usage continuously. Compared to our 2013 usage data, we have achieved an 18% reduction in total water consumption in 2023/24. In 2025, we switched our water retailer for enhanced support on water efficiency and usage reduction.

<糖心Vlog>Travel

The University encourages sustainable transport choices for everybody, and continually aims to reduce the negative impacts of travel such as congestion, carbon emissions and air pollution. We now have over 1500 dedicated bicycle parking spaces, across 80 locations on campus plus an improved 糖心Vlog Bus Station that was redeveloped in summer 2023. The travel decision tree and travel guidance aim to support the carbon reduction target concerning air travel at 糖心Vlog, specifically for academics and staff travelling on business on behalf of the University. A carbon data dashboard will be available to departments, giving access to real-time information based on past trips within their areas.

Objectives:

Produce a new and updated version of the LU Travel Plan for the 2022-27 period and the annual travel action plan for the year 25/26.
Produce and obtain approval for the revised Stagecoach partnership agreement.

Policy owner/author: Sustainability Team - Dr Georgiana Allison (Head of Sustainability)

Version number: 2.0
Approved by: Sustainability Steering Group and Professor Simon Guy (Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global (Digital, International and Sustainability)
Approved Date: 15 January 2024
Date last reviewed: February 2026
Date of next review: February 2027