The University of Liverpool has climbed five places in the People & Planet University League, ranking 32nd out of 147 UK institutions, 6th among the Russell Group, and classified as a 2:1 class university.
This builds on last year’s significant ten place rise, highlighting sustained progress in environmental and social sustainability.
The People & Planet University League is an award-winning sustainability ranking that assesses UK universities on their environmental and ethical performance across 14 criteria.
Notable achievements
In the 2025/26 rankings, the University performed particularly well in several areas, achieving a 100% score for Auditing and Environmental Management Systems. It also scored very highly for Education for Sustainable Development (95%) and Staff and Student Engagement (90%), demonstrating a continued commitment to embedding sustainability across learning, teaching and campus culture. The University also recorded strong results in other key areas, including Environmental Policy (80%), Sustainability Staff (85%), Workers’ Rights (70%), and Ethical Investment (64%).
The University’s strong performance in the People & Planet University League also contributes to its wider institutional success, including a recent 18th-place ranking in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, the University’s highest position in more than a decade. Sustainability performance, measured through the People & Planet University League, forms part of the Guide’s methodology and contributes 5.6% of the overall score.
Nicola Davies, Chief Financial Officer and Chair of the University’s Sustainability Committee, said: “I am delighted that we have climbed another five places to rank in top quartile of universities for environmental and social sustainability. This achievement reflects the commitment of our staff and students and the progress being made through our Sustainability Strategy. It is a fantastic way to end the year, and we are well placed to build on these successes in 2025 and beyond.”
A year of progress
This is the third significant sustainability league table success in the past 12 months and follows the launch of the University’s Sustainability Strategy in December last year. The strategy builds on the vision set out in the Liverpool 2031 Strategic Framework and outlines plans to drive environmental sustainability and social equity, creating measurable positive impact within and beyond the University.
Since its launch, significant progress has been made. Highlights from the past year include:
- Domestic general waste reduced by 48%, diverting more than 650 tonnes from incineration with energy recovery, bringing the University close to its ambitious 50% reduction target
- Over 150 laboratories now engaged with LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework), supported by new Sustainable Laboratories Guidance
- Launch of the Living Labs Programme, transforming the campus into a testbed for real-world sustainability innovation
- Publication of the University’s new Biodiversity Plan, alongside completion of the first estate-wide habitat survey to support a commitment to achieving at least 10% biodiversity net gain
- A 0.8% reduction in total Scope 1-3 carbon emissions, falling from 195,043 tCO₂e to 193,459 tCO₂e
- A successful Sustainability Week, bringing the University community together through workshops, events and initiatives, including the Sustainability Fair, guided tours of The Spine, Materials Innovation Factory and Energy Centre, the launch of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainability Research, strategy drop-ins and Guild swap shops
- Achievement of Fairtrade University Accreditation, marking a key milestone in responsible procurement and ethical supply chains
- Continued success of Warp It, saving 78 tonnes of CO₂e, 22 tonnes of waste, and £240,000 through reuse of equipment and furniture
- Publication of the University’s annual SDG Report, demonstrating commitment to all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals across research, education and operations
Find out more
A Sustainability Strategy Progress and Performance Report, outlining milestones achieved since the strategy’s launch, will be published in February as part of Sustainability Week (23–27 February 2026). Watch this space for more details to be shared soon.
See this year’s People & Planet University League results here.
Explore the University’s full scorecard in the 2025/26 People & Planet University League here.
For more information about our sustainability work, please visit www.liverpool.ac.uk/sustainability or contact the Sustainability Team: sustainability@liverpool.ac.uk.