Staff Sustainability

Find out how you can incorporate environmental principles into teaching and inspire our students.

Make a difference at the University of Greenwich by joining a community with sustainability at their hearts. It is not just about greening the campus (though we are proud of that), but developing new ways of thinking, learning, implementing a better future for us all and making a positive impact right now.

It is no surprise that our employees also expect to see us act on sustainability as part of their university experience. In our last Sustainability Survey (2022-2023) 97% of both our academic and professional staff members stated the importance of sustainability.  Future student industries in the UK are also seeing the importance of global issues; 98% of NHS staff believe sustainability is important for health & care systems whilst 71% of manufacturers who made positive changes are now seeing its financial benefits.  In education, following on from a 10 year study, the UN produced a short video on how high education is assisting the sustainable agenda.

Together we can educate our students and across our departmental teams make positive changes.  Our Engagement Strategy sets out we will engage our students and staff to bring about positive change throughout all activities and processes.

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Sustainability Champion Network established

Embedding sustainable learning into teaching

Volunteering to maintain a clean campus environment

Changing behaviours for a better planet

Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) for Staff


The SDGs are 17 goals, signed by all 193 UN countries in 2015, that outline the vision for a sustainable world by 2030. These goals recognise the interlinks between poverty, economic growth, social needs and environmental impact. We can bring about positive change on a local and global scale. What SDGs are most relevant to you, and how you are contributing to them in your work or teaching?

Become a Green Champion

We now have over 60 Green Champions who have co-created our unique approach that helps staff meet their sustainability objectives. We believe that using the passion and expertise of our staff we can develop ideas and deliver these that will create significant environmental progress.

  • Join an enthusiastic network of staff, receive trainings and events, drive the change you want to see and have fun! If you are interested in this staff-led and co-created network:

Resources

Sustainability Team has developed a series of videos for staff to understand and apply sustainability into their work.

Climate Literacy Training:

Unless we have a good understanding of what the climate crisis is, what the science tells us and what we need to do about it, then critically we won’t be able to act, individually or collectively. Staff will find out how you can help us reduce our carbon footprint in this 45-minute session.

SDG Teach-In:

We believe that SDGs can relate to all of our subject areas and we encourage all teaching staff to engage with the SDG Teach In (organised by SOS-UK). This 25-minute session will explore the SDGs and illustrate how it can be applied to your subjects in remarkably easy ways.

Green Careers Talk:

As part of the Sustainability Careers focused Green Week, we have invited speakers from different sectors to talk about Green Careers. Feel free to share with students.

  1. Working for Sustainability Leaders- Learn How Your Career Will Help Save the Planet:
    This panel discussion brings together staff working for leading sustainability driven companies delivering amazing sustainability outcomes. Our three panellists will outline their career pathways to date and will answer important questions to help students, and staff, identify how to get to that sustainability focussed job faster.
  2. Sustainability Careers: Designing, Developing and Constructing a Career in the Built Environment Sector:
    This panel discussion brings together staff working in the built environment sector to discuss the importance of sustainability to it. They will talk about the importance of having sustainability aware students and graduates to the success of these companies, and the planet!
  3. Sustainability Careers: How gaining experience can accelerate your career with purpose pathway?
    This panel discussion brings together three (of the many) volunteers and paid interns that have worked with the University of Greenwich’s Sustainable Development Unit. The three panellists will outline their career pathways to date and will answer important questions to help students, and staff, identify how to get to that sustainability focussed job faster.

Are you an Academic Staff Member?

Whether you are teaching or researching into economics, healthcare, law, design or architecture, sustainability can be included and will be an important consideration within profession challenges. We can support you in embedding sustainability into your teaching and research.

Click here for details and the list of support available.

Join GREen Rewards & Win!


GREen Rewards is an app and online platform where you can record your sustainable actions and earn GREen Points. Each month, the top three point-earning staff and students win cash vouchers up to £75!