Insight 40 - Magazine - Page 15
SUSTAINABILITY AT HERTS: BEYOND NET ZERO
I
n the face of growing environmental
challenges, the University of
Hertfordshire has reinforced its
commitment to sustainability by pledging
to reach Net Zero by 2050, with interim
targets to reduce emissions by 50% against
its 2018-19 baseline by 2028, and 78% by
2035. While an ambitious decarbonisation
plan and effective governance and
reporting systems help drive progress and
ensure accountability, the roadmap to
Net Zero has been developed as part of a
broader strategy that recognises the full
spectrum of environmental challenges,
and includes aspects such as biodiversity,
waste, and resource management.
By adopting a comprehensive and
holistic approach to sustainability, the
university is not only able to capitalise
on the “economies of scale” derived from
addressing these three inter-related areas
asynchronously, but it is also able to
foster a culture around sustainability that
helps to deliver on its commitments from
all angles. Given its sphere of influence
both as a regional anchor institute and
as an educational institution with almost
36,000 staff and students, the potential to
increase its “environmental handprint”
and drive positive change is significant.
The university’s new Environment and
Sustainability Framework sets out 4
pathways to mitigate its impact on the
environment:
1. Estate and operations
2. Building a sustainable community
3. Teaching, learning, and skills for life
4. Research, enterprise, and knowledge
exchange
Objectives, targets and KPIs relating
to the above pathways are managed
through a robust Environmental
Management System, which is EcoCampus
(environmental management scheme
for higher and further education) and
ISO14001 (internationally recognised
standard for environmental management
systems) certified.
Ian Grimes, Director of Estates at
University of Hertfordshire said: “We are
extremely proud to say that in July of
this year, we were successfully audited
against the ISO standards as well as our
own internal compliance obligations for
our new Environment and Sustainability
Framework. The university was not only
strongly recommended for recertification,
it also received no Non-Conformances
or Opportunities for Improvement, with
praise given to our holistic approach to
environmental sustainability.”
Taking a step further, the university’s
environmental strategy is underpinned
by the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals, facilitating the
integration of broader sustainability
themes such as equality, diversity,
inclusion, and wellbeing into its
considerations. By collaborating with
teams in these areas, the university is able
to set a clear and meaningful path towards
environmental and social responsibility,
and playing its part in creating a better
future for people and the planet.
Find out more about the University of
Hertfordshire's commitment to sustainability
at go.herts.ac.uk/sustainability
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