Sustainability on campus

The contribution of higher education institutions to sustainability goes much further than cutting-edge research. Universities are also businesses under pressure to use resources efficiently and ensure we have a positive impact on our environment and wider society. One of the best ways we can achieve this is by becoming a ‘living lab’ – a testing ground for change and innovation, new ways of thinking, and for research in sustainable practices to take flight.  

Our ambition is to embed sustainability into everything we do, empowering our community to lead, innovate, and act for a more sustainable future. Our work is led by a collaborative network of academic and professional services leaders who are embedding sustainable thinking into everyday actions across our campuses in Birmingham and Dubai. This way of working ensures everyone on campus is empowered to act to reduce the impact our university community has on the environment, and we tackle this challenge together.
Zoe Hurley
Head of Sustainability

Sustainable action across campus 2024/25 

At Birmingham, we are working hard to reduce the environmental impact of our operations and practices, focusing on the following key areas:  

Reducing our carbon footprint, including our estates, digital, travel and supply chain carbon impacts  
reducing waste and using our resources efficiently  
using water efficiently on campus
protecting and enhancing biodiversity on campus
procuring sustainable food, goods and services  
taking an environmentally responsible approach to the delivery and dissemination of our research and academic programmes

See below to find out more about our current practices on campus. Staff and students can get involved in our sustainability-inspired initiatives and start shaping the future, today.