Sustainability is important to us and we are committed to improving and developing our environmental obligations and raising the profile of sustainability across our community.
We intend to improve our environmental performance through strategic objectives covering several key areas. These are set out in the attached policy and strategy documents:
Our policy and strategy are underpinned by several policy documents:
Carbon management plan
The University has been working hard to improve its environmental and sustainability performance through successive Carbon Management Plans and supporting policies. Our third Carbon Management Plan is available and sets out how we will work to enhance our sustainability until 2030.
Sustainability for Education and Engagement Strategy
Educating, and engaging with, our community to give them knowledge and values around sustainability is important to us. Our Sustainability for Education and Engagement Strategy sets out our plans for achieving this.
Recycling and waste disposal
We generate a wide range of waste types including food waste, paper and cardboard and hazardous waste. Details of our recycling guidance and locations will be added here soon.
Biodiversity
Find out about our approach to biodiversity and how are Grounds and Gardens team ensures we fulfil our commitment to sustainability in this area.
Sustainable food policy
Our Catering team serve hundreds of meals each day from our Refectory as well as hot and cold drinks and snacks from our Dolce Vita Café and Bar and the Naylor building. We are developing ways to reduce waste from food and packaging to help progress our Sustainable Food Policy.
In July 2022 we were pleased to have been awarded the Fairtrade one star rating.
Reducing food waste
In September 2021 we teamed up with Too Good To Go to tackle food waste. The mobile app helps you save food from going to waste, by allowing participating sites to offer unsold food to local consumers. The service is used by the St Mary's Refectory.
Since September 2021…
- We have saved more than 200 meals
- Avoiding 550kg of CO2 emissions (the equivalent of driving over 900 miles in a car)
Modern slavery
We are committed to improving our practices to combat slavery and human trafficking. Please see our Modern Slavery Statement for further details.
Contact us
Feedback and questions are welcomed and can be sent to sustainability@stmarys.ac.uk.