We’re a degree ahead of the rest when it comes
A S a University for the Common Good, we recognise that we are uniquely placed to make a meaningful contribution to advancing the principles of sustainable development through our role as educators, researchers and owners and operators of large and complex estates.
We are responsible for educating tomorrow’s leaders and helping them become good global citizens, not only by providing access to world-class teaching and research facilities but by leading by example, and demonstrating how we’re embedding the principles of sustainable development into every aspect of our operations.
We have dedicated significant resources to achieving this and in April, we became the first university in Scotland to attain Ecocampus Platinum certification for our environmental practices. Ecocampus is the leading national Environmental Management System (EMS) for the higher and further education sectors.
Earlier this year, we were rated “first class” in the 2015 People & Planet University League for our environmental and ethical performance and
also ranked second in Scotland and tenth out of 151 universities in the UK.
GCU began aligning its operations to support this commitment to sustainability in 2009, when we implemented the Ecocampus environmental management system and calculated our carbon footprint for the first time. The EMS provided a tool for evaluating our environmental performance, reducing impacts and ensuring compliance with environmental legislation. It also offered a training framework to highlight opportunities for improvement, a better understanding of environmental priorities and a way to engage staff.
Data and procedures from our EMS are used as part of under- and postgraduate modules in the School of Engineering and Built Environment. In turn, students in this school regularly contribute to the development and enhancement of our own procedures and systems.
Our first carbon footprint in 2009 allowed us to evaluate and understand the environmental impacts, on an equitable basis, associated with our operations and formulate a carbon management plan (CMP) to